


Plan B: George

by Aaronna



Series: Fem!Merlin/George AU stories [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Agravaine sucks, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Angst, Arthur is dense, Arthur wisens up to Agravaine's traitorous ways, BAMF George, Complete, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Did i tag correctly?, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s04e06 A Servant of Two Masters, Gen, Gender or Sex Swap, Graphic Description, Hurt George, Hurt Merlin (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, If I missed a tag, Knights of the Roundtable, Non-canon death of a character who died in the canon, Original Character Death(s), Sick Merlin (Merlin), fem!merlin, let me know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-13 07:42:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 38,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18936466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aaronna/pseuds/Aaronna
Summary: Merlin set it up so that if anything happened to her, George would make Arthur miss her. Merlin had helped George get a job at the castle, so he owed the raven haired girl. George understands why Merlin acts the way she does, so when Arthur asked him to teach Merlin how to polish, he accepted. During that week of "lessons", George decides to let Merlin recover from her wounds that Arthur seemed to have forgotten about.





	1. Reveal

"Two whole days in the tavern." Arthur states in a stern tone.

'Oh great,' Merlin thought, 'Gaius used the tavern excuse again...'

"I'm not quite sure it was that long." She replied.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't get rid of you on the spot."

Knowing that Arthur had been dealing with the menace she had created, Merlin decided to play ignorant. "Because you'd have no one to polish your armour, make you breakfast, organize your clothes."

Arthur smiled at that. "Ah, well, that's where you're wrong. George!"

At the call George entered in the prim manner Merlin had informed him was the most annoying to the king.

"Merlin, meet George. George is, perhaps, the most efficient servant I've ever seen. He'll be spending the rest of the week teaching you." Arthur stated, relishing the look of shock on his maid's face.

"Teaching me?" Merlin could not believe her good luck.

"If you wish to remain in my service." Arthur replied, almost waiting for her to protest, but George stepped in and addressed Merlin.

"We will start in the armoury. Lesson one is my favorite. Polishing."

Merlin could see that Arthur was trying not to laugh, thinking that she was about to be tortured by the man who embodied the perfection all servant are meant to aim for.

"Yes, that's my favorite, too." Merlin replied in a dazed voice.

George, noting Merlin's strained posture and semi-vacant gaze, nods before jerking his head to indicate that Merlin should follow him.

Merlin followed, but stopped at the door. "Tell me something…" She asked the blonde.

Arthur put on a fake 'serious' expression as Merlin walked back to him and leaned over. "If he's so good, why don't you just give him the job?"

The mocking fell from his face and was replaced by the real thing, much to Merlin's enjoyment.

"He's seriously boring. I've never met anyone so dull. The man makes jokes about brass." The look of disgust on Arthur's face almost made Merlin giggle, but she managed to contain herself as Arthur continued. "Anyway, off you go. It'll be fun."

Arthur was enjoying this, so Merlin gave him a fake smile and nodded before walking to the door. She paused there to look back at Arthur, who gave her a smug smile and a nod. With that, Merlin exited with a grin.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Once she was outside of the king's chamber, she dropped the 'I'm as fit as a fiddle' act. George rushed to her side as she swayed where she stood.

"What happened? You seemed fine inside, a little tired maybe, but not ready to fall over." Concern for his friend clear on George's face and in his voice.

"You know how I was hurt and then separated from Arthur and the knights? Well, that wound was never really tended. Morgana 'healed' the bone and skin, but that was it. On top of that, she put some creature's head in the back of my neck to get me to kill Arthur. During that time I don't remember anything, but Gaius and Gwen said I said some nasty things and acted odd. Finally, Gaius got rid of the thing, but not before I over used my shoulder and managed to get cuts and bruises all over. Heck! I'm not even sure I slept during that time or ate!" With that said, Merlin noticed that George had managed to get her to walk halfway to Gaius's chambers.

"What are you doing?" She asked him sharply.

George looked her dead in the eyes and replied, "You needed to recover before you go back to working for Arthur next week. I now know what all he makes you do in a day, and frankly, I don't see how you get it done without help. I had three people helping me and even then I barely got it all done. And that is not counting the patrols, hunts, and training you attend. On top of that you some how manage to help out Gaius! You are an amazing woman, Merlin, but right now, you need to heal."

With a huff, Merlin allowed him to continue leading her home. this reminded her so much of their first year in Camelot.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Both George and Merlin arrived at Camelot at the same time and managed to bump into each other just outside of the gates. Merlin was dressed as a boy, her hair was even cut in a masculine style, but George knew that truth with a single glance. After she helped him pick up the cloths that had been knocked out of his satchel, he thanked her and called her "milady."

She was shocked that he had seen through her disguise so easily. She had been on the road for three day, and no one noticed she was a girl. Now, this guy only glanced at her before calling her out on it. She blushed and asked how he knew. He then gave a quick explanation about how his sister used to do the same thing when she was forced to travel alone, so he knew what to look for.

After that they went their own ways. Merlin went to meet Gaius, who her mother had failed to tell the was actually her uncle, while George was to start his apprenticeship at the bronze smith's shop. They saw each other all the time and George would help her when ever he could. On nights she had to work late, he would help her out and the walk her safely home. That lasted over a year, but it all changed when the bronze smith was found practicing magic.

Luckily, George was not executed for helping a practitioner of sorcery. Merlin used her position as the prince's servant to get George hired to work in the castle. After he got the job, all that help he gave her stopped as did the walks home. It wasn't that George didn't want to, if was because he had no free time anymore.

They saw very little of each other for a while until Arthur fired her. Cedric had made her look like a fool and managed to get her to do something stupid. So she got fire. After the whole thing Arthur told her she had her job back, but the damage had been done. She was going to train someone to be the perfect servant, one that would drive Arthur insane. She was going to train George, and with his help she was going to make sure Arthur missed when she was gone.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gaius had barely started to examine Merlin when she passed out, making George really worried. He cared deeply for her and had done so since they had first met. Back then she had been like a sister to him, but as time had passed he had fallen in love with her. Not that he was going to tell anyone that. Gaius would likely kill him, the knights would threaten him, and Arthur would either banish him or team up with Gaius to get him out of the picture.

As for Merlin, George knew that she did not love Arthur as anything more than a brother, the same goes for the knights, but he was unsure how she felt about him. he had been there for her when Will died, after Morgana was 'kidnapped', losing her father, he had helped her sneak food for Frey, And he had been there to pick her up after Lancelot had sacrificed himself. She had done the same for him when his mother died, when his sister was seriously ill, she had even nursed him when he had gotten the sweating sickness. But did she love him?

His thoughts were interrupted when Gaius called his name.

"George, could you keep an eye on her while I go talk to the king?" George nodded, his eyes never leaving her sleeping form.

"She is feverish, so keep the rags cool until I return." With that, Gaius left the smitten, but worried man and headed to talk to Arthur.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

There was a small knock on the door before it opened to reveal the court physician.

"Ah Gaius, what brings you here? If it is Merlin, she is being taught by George how to properly polish my armour." Arthur said with a cheeky smile.

"No, sire, she isn't. She is currently asleep in my chambers with a fever." The elderly man's tone was that of masked anger.

Arthur was stunned. "How did that happen? She seemed fine not but half an hour ago."

"why didn't you tell me how badly she had been injured when she went missing? If those mercenaries had been working for anyone but Morgana, Merlin would be dead right now. Magic was used to partially mend the shattered bone and close the skin, but the rest of the damage remained. Then Morgana used a creature of dark magic to take over the girl's mind. She has been a prisoner in her own body since before you found her in the bog. Gwen and I attempted for days to remove the beast's head from her neck, but it kept re-growing. For the past two days, after I found a way to put the creature to sleep, Merlin was out in search of where she was held so she could destroy the mother beast with fire. The beast had made her body forget its injuries, so Merlin felt fine until the effects wore off."

At this point Gaius stopped talking and sighed "At least it was George who was with her when that happened. That boy knows Merlin is good at hiding her pain, so he saw the signs and brought her to me just before she passed out."

Arthur knew he needed to address the Morgana issue, but his next question seemed more pressing in his mind. "Merlin and George know each other?"

At that Gaius gave an amused snort. "Sire, those two have been friend since the day they both arrived in Camelot. In fact, Merlin was the one who got him a job here in the castle. She taught him everything he knows."

"Now hang on! How could the worst servant to the seven kingdoms have taught the best? That doesn't make any sense!" Arthur vented incredulously.

"Sire, George has had three people helping him do all that you needed done, Merlin does it all herself. She works longer hours and does much more than a servant really should, all for two silvers a week. She doesn't do it for the money, she thinks of you as a brother and treats you like you are her child. They call her 'Little mother' in the lower town after they saw the two of you down there together."

Pulling himself out of his memories, Gaius redirected the line of thought. "I came here to tell you that I will be needing George's assistance in caring for Merlin. He has spent quite a bit of time in my chambers over the years, so he know where everything is. Plus, he is one of the few people capable of talking sense into the girl. By your leave sire, I will return to my patient."

Arthur was too shocked to do anything but nod, so Gaius left quickly and quietly.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

There are 10 certain things that Merlin never told George, that he knew none the less.

1\. Merlin disliked eating meat, mainly because she knew life had been taken for that meat to be available.

2\. Merlin would do anything to keep those around her safe, even ones she disliked or even hated.

3\. Merlin is wary of Agravaine, and with good reason.

4\. Merlin's favorite color is purple! Not blue or red!

5\. Merlin hated hunting because she knew what it felt like to be hunted.

6\. Merlin had been in love with Lancelot.

7\. Merlin can control Dragons. George had seen the dragon fly away the night it 'died' and had seen it at least twice since.

8\. Merlin had had magic at an early age. He had seen her use instinctual magic like a witch making her immensely powerful, maybe even Emrys herself.

9\. Merlin had a book of magic, a carved wooden dragon, and an odd staff under her bed.

10\. Merlin was clueless to George knowing any of this.

As he sat there beside her, George couldn't help but run this list through his mind. He had been trying for years to work up the courage to admit his knowledge, but something always happened right before he could tell her. He had been going to tell her right before she passed out, so George had a new plan. He was going to place himself at Gaius's mercy and admit his knowledge. Hopefully, George thought, telling Gaius would be easier than the woman he loves.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gaius could tell George had something on his mind when he returned to his chambers to finds the boy polishing the life out of the jars and vials in the room. The boy was so focused on his task that Gaius stood by the door for five minutes before he was noticed.

"Good gods, Gaius! You could rival Merlin with your sneaking skills. At least her's is needed to keep her secret, what is your excuse?" George's eyes widened as he realized what he had just said.

Gaius's toothy grin turned to a stern frown.

"Six years… I kept that to myself for six years and then I let it slip because I was startled…" George muttered staring at the jar in his hand.

"What is it you think you know?" Gaius asked hesitantly.

Quietly George began to chant his list and at the end of it, George looked up into Gaius's eyes and added two more. "11. I love her with all my heart. 12. She has lost too much for me to tell her and then her lose me too."

George knew he was placing his life in the physician's hands, but right now, he couldn't bring himself to care. He turned to the woman he cared for deeply and refreshed the cooling cloth, waiting for the old man's reaction.

"She loves you too. She was afraid that you, like all of the knights, thought of her as a sister." George was shocked at this.

"Sh.. She said that?" George was stunned.

"She realized how much she cared for you when you sick a few months back. She used magic to heal you. If she hadn't it is unlikely that you would have pulled through. She kissed you when your fever broke. She knew she could not lose you, so she risked her life to save yours. Though I suggest you ask the king and knights for their permission to court her before you tell her of your feeling. That is unless you want them to come after you. I would start with Leon, he is the most level headed." Gaius Smirked at the boys dumbfounded face.

"I… I think I will go do that now." George said rushing to the door.

"Now? Why?" Gaius asked in complete confusion.

Gaius had never George look so happy. "Because, when her fever breaks, I plan on returning the favor."


	2. Permission

Leon watch with amusement as George shuffled about at the edge of the training field. The young man would never cross the field during a training session, despite Merlin's reassurances that his presence would not distract the knights, and if it did, than they needed to train more. And since Merlin was not with the man, Leon figured that Merlin was in trouble with Arthur.

All of the knights had seen Merlin teach George how to do tasks perfectly, before purposely messing hers up, so Arthur would think she didn't know how to properly do it. The knights also had a running wager on the relationship between those two servants.

While most of the knights thought the two had been sleeping together for years, the round table knights knew Merlin better than that. Leon and Gwaine had their money on the couple being in love with each other, but having never told the other their feelings, Percival thought that they had a similar relationship to that of Arthur and Guinevere, and Elyan thought they were just friends. Sadly, Arthur did not even realize George's existence.

Knowing George would not be here unless he or Merlin needed help, Leon passed the training off to Sir Geraint, and headed over to the servant.

"Hello George, what brings you to the training grounds?" Leon wanted to tease the boy about Merlin not being around, but he held his tongue.

"Well, several things really. Umm, Merlin… Well…" Leon could clearly see the man saw conflicted.

"Yes? What about her?" Leon was sure to keep his voice neutral.

George seemed to give up trying to say what he wanted and handed Leon a note. Confused, Leon opened it.

"Sir Leon,

George lost his nerve if you are reading this, so I will get straight to the point.

He wants to ask the knights and Arthur's permission to court Merlin. He finally confronted his feelings for her after she collapsed earlier. She should be fine, but if you have questions, come speak to me. George wanted to let all the knights know about her health and to warn the group to come in pairs, not all at once. In fact, just tell Gwaine.

Thank you, and go easy on the boy.

~Gaius.

PS. I gave him my blessing to court her as she has feelings for him as well."

Leon looked up from the note and looked at George, feeling overwhelmed. Leon had never expected to be asked for permission for anything dealing with Merlin, but felt honored none the less. He was also shocked that Gaius was fine with it, especially after how the physician had responded to advances his ward had received over the years. But mostly, Leon was scared for Merlin's health.

They had just gotten her back after thinking her dead for nearly a week. Arthur had said she was badly injured when he and her were separated, but she had seemed fine for the last few days. Had they somehow missed her injuries?

"Sir?" George's voice brought Leon back to the matter at hand.

"How hurt is she?" Leon knew that probably the best question to ask right now.

"She has a massive bruise on her left shoulder, has a fever, and is completely exhausted. Gaius can tell you more, but that is all I know." George answered in a small voice.

Leon nodded. "Let me go fetch Gwaine and we will go see her, alright?"

Before George could respond, Leon jogged over to where the knight was sparing, and then quickly returned with a confused looking Gwaine.

As the trio rushed towards Gaius's chambers, Gwaine started asking questions.

"What is going on?"

"Merlin is sick and George here wants our permission to court her."

"So that is what you meant when you said 'we win', but how sick is she?"

"We will find out when we get there. And yes, that is what I meant. But now we have to break it to the rest of the knights and to Arthur."

"Why don't I tell the knights in groups of two, while you tell the Princess? Take Gwen with you. She can help, right?"

"Fine."

"Hey George, does Merlin know you feel about her like this?"

George just shook his head.

"How are you going to tell her?"

"If the king approves, I plan on telling her with a kiss…"

Gwaine whistled.

"Have you two kissed before?"

"Gaius said she kissed me after my fever broke when I had the sweating sickness a while back, but I don't remember it…"

"How long have you two known each other?"

"We meet the day we both arrived in Camelot."

"So you have known her longer than any of us?"

George nodded.

"Did she look different back then?"

"She was dressed like a boy and had her hair cut short at the time. In fact, when king Uther gave her the job of servant to the prince, he thought she was a boy. It took days for Gaius to explain that to him…"

"I remember that. Arthur felt ashamed for having fought her down in the lower town after he found out that she was a girl."

"Arthur fought her?!"

"Yes, and she almost won, but Gaius showed up and distracted her."

"What kind of fight was it? Do I want to know?"

"Mace. She has a scar on her back from where he got a hit in."

"Wait. He only got one hit in? What happened?"

"He lost his mace sometime during the fight, but he ended up winning by smacking her on the head and legs with a broom."

"Is that when Arthur found out she was a girl?"

"No…"

"George? What happened?"

"A little over a week after being assigned to the prince, there was a tournament. One of the contestants was a man named Valiant. He saw that she was female and noticed that Arthur did not. He… He almost raped her…"

"WHAT!?"

George nodded.

"Even I didn't know that part…"

"What does that have to do with Arthur finding out?"

"I am not entirely sure… She was sobbing pretty hard when she told me. All I caught was 'That snake of a man kissed me and started grabbing my body' and then a short time later she said 'and now Arthur knows I am not a boy.'"

"You never asked her later?"

"It was hard enough on her the first time, I wasn't going to stir up bad memories like that!"

"What do you think Leon, does he pass?"

"Yes. Here, read the post statement."

Gwaine took the note and read the whole thing, while still jogging towards the Physician's chambers. As he read, the smile on his face grew. He had planned on only telling the knights in groups of twos anyway.

At this point, the trio finally reached the stairs at the bottom of the tower that housed Gaius's chambers. They were silent as they ascended the steps and remained so until they reached their destination.

George peeked into the room and saw Gwen tending to Merlin while Gaius had his nose in one of his massive tomes. Now was not the time to interrupt. So George turned to the knights.

"Go in and see her, but don't disturb them. I think we should talk somewhere else, Sirs." The longhaired pair knew the boy must be incredibly worried if he was able to give even that mild of a command.

Gwen's head turned when she heard the door open. She smiled at the knights and waved them in. She waved George in as well, but he shook his head. When she gave him a questioning look, he pointed at Gaius and the held up five fingers, then a person shape and then a horizontal cut motion.

It took a moment, but she finally understood the message. "Gaius said five people only." That poor love sick idiot, Gaius meant only five visitors, not five people. Knowing how George was, he would never believe her and he looked so pitiful in the doorway.

Gwen quickly put Gwaine to work bathing Merlin's brow and Leon was sent to have more wood sent to Gaius's chambers. As Gwen had expected, the moment Leon was out of the door, George rushed to Merlin's side. George immediately relieved Gwaine of the cooling cloth and began carefully tending the woman he loves.

"What took him so long to come in? Why did he wait for Leon to leave?" Gwaine asked the maid quietly.

"Gaius had said not to let more than five people in here. George didn't realize Gaius meant other than himself and Merlin. The poor fellow is completely love stricken. If it hadn't been for Lancelot, I believe those two would have married years ago." Gwen said that last part with great sadness.

"Merlin was in love with Lancelot?!" Gwaine barely kept his voice down.

"He never knew. She knew he loved me and thought of her as a sister, so she hid her feelings until he died. The reason she hasn't told George about her feelings is because she was afraid he would feel the same as Lancelot. And she couldn't bare that." The future queen looked lovingly at the couple.

"Bloody idiots, the pair of them. And Lance was a fool too! He was in love with her, which was why he tried to get her back here after the Dorocha froze her. She may be the reason he walked into the veil." Gwaine wanted to go back in time and knock some sense into his friend, but that would mean George would be alone. There was no way to win this.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

By the end of the day, all of the knights knew about Merlin's injuries, the round table knights knew of George's intentions and gave their blessing. All that was left was to get permission from the king.

Leon asked Gwen to break the news to Arthur and explain the situation. She happily agreed and was looking forward to his majesty's reaction. Poor Arthur, he was about to have rug pulled from beneath him.

Gwen smiled at the thought. This was going to be a moment she never forgot. If only Merlin could see it, that would amusing.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

The Round Table Knights waited until they knew Gwen was going to talk to Arthur about the two servants before rushing to listen in at the servant's entrance. They were barely in position when someone knocked on the main door to the chambers.

"Come in! Ah! Guinevere!"

"Arthur."

"How is Merlin?"

"She is worn out, feverish, and would be in a great deal of pain if she were awake."

"I see. Gaius mentioned that you helped him remove a creature from Merlin a few days ago?"

"Yes. After you and she were separated, it turned out that she was taken to Morgana. She put the bone back together and closed the skin with magic. That is all Merlin remembers until two days ago. Gaius and I noticed she was acting odd. That is how we found out about the creature, well at least a head of the creature."

The knights looked at each other in various states of shock. Before any of them could react, Arthur spoke up.

"A head? Why? What did it do?"

"The beast is called a Fomorroh, it has several heads, one of which Morgana placed in the back of Merlin's neck. It eats away your free will and forces you to do what the person who placed it their orders you to do."

"What was Merlin supposed to do?"

"Gaius and I had to stop Merlin multiple times from killing you. That was what Morgana wanted."

"Does Merlin know what she did?"

"We told her about the poisoned meal and the acid bath, but we thought it best not to tell her about the crossbow."

"Where did Merlin get a crossbow?!"

"Arthur, she spends a great deal of time in the armory, she knows where they are kept. She also knows how to load and fire it. But that is not the point. The poison could have been counteracted and the acid would not have been fatal. She knows that, but the crossbow would have been unfixable. She would always blame herself despite the fact she failed."

There was a silence in the room and the knight's took that moment to look at each other. Leon looked like he had seen a ghost, Elyan and Percival were nodding silent agreement to Gwen's statement, and Gwaine looked like he was ready to tear Morgana limb from limb.

"Be that as it may, why did no one tell me? Why was I never told that Merlin taught George? Why did she not tell me I was working her to hard…"

"Arthur… George was Merlin's first friend in Camelot. Those two were seen together all the time until his master was found using magic. Merlin got him a low level job in the castle patching the pots and pans. After that, they barely ever saw each other until Cedric."

The knights could practically hear Arthur wince at the memory.

"She wanted you to miss her if that ever happened again, so she taught George how to be perfect knowing it would drive you mad. It also got the two of them working together again."

"Why do I have the feeling you want to tell me something I will not want to hear?"

"Because I do." Silence.

"Well?"

"TheyareinloveandGeorgewantsyourpermissiontocourther!"

"WHAT!?"

The knights heard the king sit down loudly just before the door they had been leaning on was pulled open, causing them to fall into the room.


	3. Fever's End

Gwen clapped her hand over her mouth. She had not planned on saying all of that at once and the look on Arthur's was of complete denial.

"WHAT!?" The king headed for the nearest chair and Gwen headed for the servant's door. She had planned on leaving the man to his thoughts, but when she opened the door, four knights fell into the room. Gwen jumped back in surprise with a squeak before her eyes landed on her brother.

"Elyan! What did you think you were doing? And the rest of you, be glad you are not related to me." With that said, she grabbed her brother and dragged him protesting from the room.

It was Leon who explained the group to their liege, or at least attempted. "Sire… We… Well… George… and… that is… well, Merlin…"

Arthur stopped him with a raised hand. "I need time to think, but I will dish out appropriate punishment for eavesdropping on the king at training tomorrow. Dismissed!"

Out of the knights, Gwaine was the only one who didn't willingly flee the scene. "Gwaine, when I say dismissed, it means you are to leave."

"I know that Princess. I just wanted to say that Merlin deserves to be happy. If that is with George, then so be it. She already lost Lancelot, don't make her lose this one too." Arthur stared at the knight as he walked off, closing the door behind him.

The king's mind was awash with all of this new information. Merlin had been in love with Lancelot? That explained a lot of things that had been bothering him of the edges of his mind. She had been beyond upset when he died, but he had thought that was because she had lost a good friend, not a loved one.

Now she seemed to have fallen for a servant that, if he was half as good at making her happy as he was at doing his job, then she would be a very lucky girl. The man clearly had strong feelings for her if he was willing to ask those Merlin held in high respect before the woman herself.

Woman. That was another new thing for him. He had always thought of her as his little sister, the one who followed her big brothers everywhere, even places she shouldn't. Today was the first time he had realized that she had grown up into a beautiful young woman who should be allowed to give her heart to whomever she wished.

And just like that, the king realized that he was giving his permission. It felt odd. Like he was giving away a piece of himself.

Arthur got up off of the chair and headed off to Gaius's rooms. He needed to see how merlin was. He also felt he should give his permission to the man who wished to woo his servant in person.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gaius was in the middle of tending to the infection in Merlin's shoulder when Arthur walked in. The king blanched at the sight of the swollen joint. He felt terrible for not having noticed the signs and for punishing her for her disappearance and tardiness.

As he stared at her pale, sweaty face, his chest tightened. It was just like the time she had been poisoned during Bayard's visit all of those years ago. She was groaning and shifting. It was clear she had a fever and a nasty infection.

His focus was soon pulled from Merlin to that of the man carefully mopping her brow with a cloth. The man sitting there barely resembled the servant who had tried to serve him a feast for breakfast. He was missing the jacket and neckerchief and his hair had clearly had a hand run through it several times. By the way he lovingly rubbed the cool rag over Merlin's brow and neck, Arthur knew he had made the right choice in giving his blessing to this man.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Percival was the one staying up with Merlin while George and Gaius slept. He was also the one who had to wake the two when her fever spiked and she began to have what he could only assume were nightmares. Despite the fact that he knew she needed real care, he felt bad for waking the old physician and, by effect, George too.

After a moment of examination, Gaius sent George to get fresh cold water from the well. As soon as the man's running feet could no longer heard that Gaius cut away the cloth covering Merlin's shoulder. It was at least twice the size it should have been.

"Damn it." Percival's eyes widened at the fact Gaius had cursed.

"Percival, Hold her down. I need to drain this and it will likely be very painful to her right now." The big man nodded and careful held down his friend's flailing limbs.

Gaius left his patient's side for a moment and returned with a thin piece of what looked to be dark glass*, a few vials of liquids and pastes, some bandages, and a handful of rags. Percival nearly lost his stomach when he saw the amount of discharge coming out of the small incision the physician made in the center of the scar at the base of the shoulder. If the amount of white-pink liquid escaping her shoulder was any indication, then Merlin had been dealing with this injury for about a week.

That meant that for the past few days, she had been serving Arthur with a wound that would have kept even Gwaine in bed. If she hadn't been under the beast's influence, she likely would not be nearly as sick as she was right now. Curse that bloody witch for laying a hand on Merlin!

Just as the purging of infection got too disturbing for the knight to watch, George returned with the water. The poor fellow seemed to go green at the sight, but he pushed through it and once again began wiping down the exposed skin on her neck and chest with the cold water and replaced the heated rag on her head with a cool one. He then began stoked up the fire and put a pot of water over it.

"Thank you, George. Run and fetch Gwen. We may have to bathe Merlin in cold water it her fever doesn't go down soon." The man paled further, but he nodded and took off at a run.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

They did end up having to bath Merlin to get her fever down. Twice. By dawn, they were all exhausted, but her fever was much better. The swollen shoulder decreased a great deal after it was drained a few times. The thing they had to worry about now was dehydration.

The few times they had managed to get her to swallow some water, she quickly vomited. Broth and weak wine had the same effect. Even Gaius's potions wouldn't stay down long enough to do their job. In the end, George had the solution.

"Fresh sweet apple cider? Where did you get such an idea?" Gaius was astonished at just how much of the fluid his niece was keeping down.

George answered as he continued to feed the sick woman spoonfuls of the juice. "Merlin told me once about what her mother used to do when when she got very sick as a child. Hunith used to mash an apple and sweeten it with honey and feed it to her. This was as close as I could get."

"Leave that to me. I am one of the few people who might be able to talk Audrey into making some. If nothing else, I will slip a few apples from the king's chamber and make it myself!" Gwen announced from where she was changing the bandages compressing Merlin's swollen shoulder.

"Be careful when you talk to her. She is madder than usual." Gwen nodded her understanding before heading out of the room with a basket of laundry.

As the maid slipped out of the room Gwaine slid in. "How is she? Percival was too tired to tell me much, just that her fever spiked and was now back down."

George sent the knight a warning glare when the knight reached for the pin of cider. The man quickly jerked back his hand as if the look had burned him. As the servant turned back to Merlin, Gwaine sent a questioning look to Gaius.

The aging man beckoned the rouge over and explained quietly. "That cider is the only thing she has been able to keep down since yesterday afternoon. He had to sneak it up here. So, stay away from Merlin and the keg, he is tired and is being overly protective."

Gwaine smiled. "She deserves someone who will go against their nature for her. Everyone deserves someone who sneak them apples."

The old physician smiled and rolled his eyes. "Well don't start stealing apples for her. She already has everyone she deserves loving her right now. It would be uncomfortable for Merlin if her brother began to flirt with her."

Gwaine seemed very uncomfortable for a moment before quietly leaving the room with red tipped ears.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

It wasn't long after Gaius slipped George a sleeping draft that Merlin woke slightly. She was clearly disoriented from the fever as she seemed convinced that was trying to kill her. She then began begging Morgana to stop. She then pleaded for water.

Gaius used that moment to get her to drink some willow bark tea for the pain and fever. She kept it down and seemed to calm before falling back to sleep. After that, her fever seemed to go down, but not quite leave. She also managed to keep down a little broth, but no more than a few spoonfuls. But some was better than none.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

It was near midday when George woke from his drugged sleep. The servant was incredibly mad at Gaius, so mad that he acted as if the man didn't exist. As awkward as the situation was, it was incredibly interesting to everyone around him. Gaius smiled softly, the knights laughed, and Gwen seemed to find it enduring.

It was of course during this time that Merlin's fever finally broke. George seemed to forget that there were other people in the room as he leant down and gave her a deeply passionate kiss. Unconsciously, Merlin pressed into the kiss which triggered an 'Aww!' from Leon, Gwen, and Gaius. Elyan and Percival grinned at the sight and took their leave to tell Gwaine what he had missed.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

*Obsidian aka volcanic glass


	4. Healing?

After her fever broke, Merlin slept peacefully for over a day. But when she woke up, she was confused. Her blanket seemed warmer, her pillow fluffier, and her room was spotless. Stranger than that, George was asleep at the side of her bed and his hair and clothes were all messed up.

She thought he looked adorable like that. Shirt wrinkled, coat and neckerchief missing, leaving his chest visible. And that hair. She loved those soft locks. Just like she loved the man they belonged to.

It was while she was watching the man she loved sleep that she noticed that this was not her blanket. Hers was tan and threadbare. This one was soft green and much thicker. If the blanket was new, then Merlin assumed the added fluffiness of her pillow likely due it having been replaced as well.

She smiled tiredly, as she tried to reach out to wake George. The smile faded as she realized she could hardly even lift her arm. She then decided to call out to him, but her words were nothing more than rough breaths. As unconsciousness once again rose to claim her, she swore silently that she would do it next time.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Her fatigue made her a liar the next time she woke. Her head she spinning and the world seemed too hot and too cold at the same time. George was across the room mending something, but she couldn't manage to get his attention before sleep reclaimed her.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

It was one the six day that of all of this that she was finally able to get someone's attention while she was awake. As happy as she was about that, she was upset that it was Gwen, not George, who was the person sitting with her. But anyone was better than the last five times or so.

All Merlin had done was squirm and the future queen rushed to her side. "You're awake! Gaius left some drafts for you to take and has standing orders for you to eat."

Gwen bustled off to the lower chamber and returned with three vials and a bowl of mashed apples. "I know how these taste, the apples will help with the flavor."

Gwen then proceed to feed Merlin a spoonful of apple, then a potion, and then more apples. When that was done, Gwen helped her sit up and then checked her shoulder.

"Gaius told Arthur about what happened to you after the rock fall." Merlin lowered her eyes sadly.

"He blames himself for it. He has been here a lot." Gwen looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn't.

"Also, Arthur knows about George. Gaius says that his face was priceless when he was told." Merlin smiled at the imagined scene.

She tried to ask for some water, but what came out of her mouth sounded more like a growling puppy. Merlin could have laughed at the confused look her friend gave her before her eyebrows shot up and then ran back down the stairs. She returned with a jug and cup.

She drank nearly all of the jug before Gaius arrived. She sent him a shy smile as he rushed over to hug her. "G'us"

She wanted to stay awake, but she felt the pull of sleep. She fought it as best as she could, but she was losing.

"Did you give her the drafts?"

"Yes. She took them in between bits of the apple mash."

"Which one did you give her first?"

"I gave her the yellowish one first, then the brownish red one. I gave her the purple one last."

"That is likely why she has managed to stay awake this long. The last one was for sleeping."

By this time, Merlin had lost the battle to keep her eyes open and she was nearly defeated in the battle for consciousness.

"Just go to sleep, you deserve it. George should be here when you wake up."

Merlin stopped fighting and fell asleep with a smile on her face.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

It had been an odd two weeks in Camelot. At first, they were all in denial that the plucky little serving girl was dead, then she was back! But she seemed different. Then, they found out she had collapsed from her injuries from the week she was gone. Later, they heard rumors that she had been enchanted for those few days of awkwardness. Now there was word around the kitchen that George asked the king's permission to court her.

During this time, the king was in a foul mood, the knights were on edge, the cook was upset about something, and the household was shy two servants. Everyone was tight strung from everything that had happened. And then there was Lord Agravaine.

The man seemed to be calm on the outside, but when he was away from the king, his eyes showed his inner fury. He fired two servants with no known reason. He even spent a day away right before Merlin's collapse. When he returned and found out about her, the man had the gall to smirk.

All of the servants knew that the man hated the maid, but this was something more. He seemed angry that she was found alive and now he was happy that she was sick and injured. This was wrong and the kitchen maids made it their duty to report these actions to Gwen and George.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

George hardly left Merlin's side after he heard she had woken up. He had been in the woods collecting herb and flowers when Gwen told him about Merlin. When he got back to the castle, he made sure the room was clean, he rearranged the flowers that he had brought back. He even changed his wrinkled and dank shirt for a fresh one, but the neckerchief was not replaced, he only wore it to look like her anyway.

The fact that he wouldn't leave her room was why he woke up to fingers playing with his hair. Only four people were allowed to touch his hair: The king, his mother, his sister, and Merlin. Since his mother was dead, his sister was in the lower town caring for her baby, and the king would not be fondling his hair, it had to be Merlin.

As much as he wanted to hug her and tell her to never scare him like that again, he also didn't want her to stop fiddling with his mane. Then the decision was made for him.

"Gods I love you. If only you loved me back." Her words were nothing more than a soft whisper.

He didn't plan on doing it this way, but it happened as if by instinct. He gently moved into her touch and mumbled "Love you too." in a sleepy tone.

He was still mostly asleep, but he did have to stop himself from whining when the fingers went away. After a moment, they returned and he hummed slightly in contentment. He fell back to sleep as she carded her fingers through his unruly mop.

The next morning, Gaius came in to see both servant fast asleep. Both seemed to have smiles on their faces and Merlin's hand seemed to have fallen out of George's mussed locks. Gaius smiled as closed the door silently, letting them rest in happiness.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Merlin woke several times throughout the rest of the day. She was also bombarded with visitors. The knights, Arthur, a few of the servants stopped by as well. There was one person who stopped by who was not there to celebrate her returning health, but to wish it a quick end.

Agravaine.

He came by several times, gathering information. By the end of the day, he knew roughly when the wench was awake, who was with her and at what times, and just how bad her condition truly was. This information was all he needed to get rid of her permanently.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

The lord found it strange that most of the assassins he tried to hire seemed happy to do the job until they found out who their target was. A few of the men paled and fled and few seemed appalled at the idea of harming the lass. There was one that had just the right reaction to the name.

He grinned and said "For her, I'll do it for free. That minx has meddled her last, you have my word. It will be a pleasure to rid the world of her."

Agravaine didn't know what the maid had done to receive such a reaction, but he smiled at the knowledge. She would die and he hadn't even needed to pay a single penny. Now all he needed to do was alibi himself. Dinner with Arthur perhaps?

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

The next day, Merlin was still weak and tired, but she stayed awake more often and for longer periods. It was during one of those times that the girl begged to be allowed to bathe. She had been submerged in cool water to lower her fever and received two crude sponge bathes from Gwen, but she felt like she had fallen into a bog and then spent the afternoon it the stocks.

It took a while, but finally, Gaius relented. It didn't take long to get the water warmed and carried up the Gaius's chamber. It seemed as if half of the serving staff was helping as well as a few of the knights.

It was in this crowd that a certain assassin slipped a soporific into one of the buckets. The girl would be unable to stay awake in the bath. With luck, she would drown, but that was unlikely. But the drug would make her an easier target for later on.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

The hot water felt so good. It warmed her stiff muscles and creaking bones. It was blissful. It was just as Gwen went to change the soiled sheets that Merlin fell asleep and began to slide down into the water.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gwen was glad that Merlin was feeling better. She smiled at the memory of Merlin's face when she helped lower her into the water. As she came down the stairs, her heart froze in her chest.

She dropped the soiled bed clothes and ran to the tub edge. Merlin's nose and mouth were both under the water and no bubbles were rising up. She grabbed her friend and pulled her head out of the water.

Merlin wasn't breathing. After a quick check, Gwen was relieved to feel a pulse. She hastily drug the girl's limp form out on to the floor and laid her on her chest. She made sure Merlin's mouth was open before she pressed on her bare back.

Water gushed from her pale lips, but she still wasn't breathing. As she rolled Merlin over, the girl began to cough and gasp. She left her friend on her side until water stopped being coughed out of the girl's lungs.

Gwen rushed to the chamber door and looked down the hall. Near the end of the corridor, Gwaine and George seemed to be deep in conversation.

"George! Get Gaius! Gwaine, I need your help!" As the men began to move. Gwen ducked back into the room.

Gwen squeaked when she realized that she had left Merlin naked and wet on the cold floor. She grabbed the sheets she had dropped earlier and quickly covered her friend moments before the knight burst in.

Gwaine didn't even need to be told what to do. He came over and scooped the limp witch up into his arms and carried her to the patient's cot. He even turned his back to let Gwen replace the soiled sheets with a clean blanket.

Once that was done, Gwaine started asking questions.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

After helping bring Merlin's bath water up from the kitchens, Gwaine and George sat out of hearing range of the physician's chamber, but close enough that they could be called to carry off the used water. While they waited, the knight began milking the servant for stories about Merlin.

"What was the worst thing you have ever seen her do?"

"I saw her kill a few soldiers… It was during Cenred's siege. She didn't even seem troubled by it. But after the fighting ended, I saw her crying. If she hates killing animals, imagine how harming a human felt for her…"

"I never really thought about it. She has killed on patrols before, but I have never seen her cry afterwards."

"Did she go to get firewood and return a long time later with only a small armload?"

"Damn. How could I have missed that?"

"Everyone does. She doesn't like people seeing her like that."

"She lets you."

George remained silent.

"What about the silliest thing?"

"Rat stew."

"What?"

"She served the Prince rat stew. When he figured out what it was, they both gave it to the Lady Morgana."

"How did she re-" Gwaine's question was interrupted by Gwen's panicked voice.

"George! Get Gaius! Gwaine, I need your help!" She stood in the doorway until they got up. She was there one moment and gone the next.

As George took off at a neck break speed down the stairs, Gwaine ran into the room. Gwen was standing over a wheezing Merlin cover in old bed clothes. Since the girl was lying beside the tub, there was a good-sized puddle of water beside her, and she was breathing roughly, the knight assumed that the girl had fallen into the water.

Before Gwen could open her mouth, Gwaine came over and picked up Merlin's quivering form. She was too light and her rattling breaths were painful to hear. He gently laid her on the bed Gaius used for the sick and injured and turned away so Gwen could cover Merlin properly.

"Gwen? What happened? Did she fall in?"

"I don't know! I helped her in and went to change these." She gestured to the soiled sheets. "But when I came back out, her face was in the water! She wasn't breathing!"

The poor maid was shaking and tears were pouring down her face. As he stepped forward, she threw her herself into Gwaine's chest and cried in earnest. They stayed like that until Gaius and George burst into the room. Neither of the men noticed, but the maid pulled back and wiped her eyes.

George sat on the edge of the bed while Gaius checked Merlin over. After listening to her chest, Gaius paused and sniffed her wet locks. His eyebrows rose and he rushed to the tub. He dipped a finger into the water and rubbed the moisture between two fingers under his nose. The group watched as the old man rushed to the work table and back to the bath.

Gaius filled a small jar with some of the water and returned to the bench where he began pouring the liquid into smaller jars and began adding various potions and powders to them. When one of the vials turned a rich orange, Gaius began to grumble. He grabbed a pouch from the shelf and returned to Merlin.

"Gaius? What is it?" Gwen's voice was small and frightened.

"Someone laced her bath with a compound that caused her to fall asleep in her bath. She was too weak to keep herself up. That was why she nearly drowned. It is not your fault Gwen. You couldn't have known."

Gwaine tensed and thought about who could possibly want to harm Merlin. His attention was pulled from that to George as the man nearly growled.

"George. We don't know it was him. Calm down." Gwen sounded unconvinced, but diplomatic.

"You know better. He has never liked her. Who else would do this?" Gwaine's curiosity was peaked now.

"We both know he would never do anything like this himself. He didn't do it." Gwen sounded resigned.

"No, he just kept his sleazy hands clean by paying someone else to." The man's voice was venomous.

"We can't prove that!" Gwen squeaked.

"Both of you quiet down! Agravaine doesn't have the knowledge to do this. If he paid someone, his funds would show it. Now keep your voices down or leave." Gwaine took a step back when Gaius bellowed.

"Agravaine?! Arthur's uncle, Agravaine?" The knight felt his blood heat up.

Three heads jerked to face him. Two showed embarrassment and fright, the other seemed insincerely calm. Gwaine began pacing.

"Why didn't I see this before?! He tried so hard to get the princess to call off the searches. He was also missing when we were attacked. And we call Merls here an idiot! I need to tell Arthur." He turned to storm out of the room when three voices called out together.

"No!"

"Gwaine!"

"You will do no such thing!"

Merlin began coughing and the subject seemed to be momentarily forgotten. She wasn't waking up, but her breathing was getting worse.

"Everyone but George get out. I need to work." Gwen and Gwaine practically fled the room.

"I am going to try something. I might collapse from it, so you will need to ready to deal with both of us. Understand?" George had never heard Gaius sound so vulnerable.

"You are going to use magic. That is why you chose me to stay." George was extra worried now. Gaius was Merlin's best hope, but if he hurt himself, she would never forgive herself. George doubted he would forgive himself either.

"Yes. Her lungs can't work properly after warm water entered them. If I don't do this, she could die. I cannot let that happen." The older man was a father to both servants and it showed.

"Be careful. She needs you. We all do." Gaius nodded before gathering a sage bundle.

It took five castings before Merlin seemed to react. As she began coughing up even more water, Gaius crumpled.


	5. Confusion

George didn't mind watching over the two magic users. It was kind of nice. It hadn't been hard to get Gaius to bed and cleaning up the water Merlin coughed up only took a minute. The thing that really bothered him was that Merlin's breathing was still rough and she was still wet and naked under that blanket and there was nothing he could do about it.

Or was there? It wouldn't be inappropriate if he toweled her hair, would it? And if he ended up not only drying her hair, but combing and braiding it, what harm would that be? He braided her hair all the time anyway.

So he grabbed another blanket and a towel and covered her with a second layer before he started drying the woman he loved's hair. He had her hair halfway plaited when Gaius began to stir. The servant quickly finished Merlin's hair before grabbing a mild headache remedy and a cup of water and settling down beside the older man.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

He woke slowly as his worried mind drove his sore and exhausted body into consciousness. The first thing he noticed was that he was lying on his bed. When he finally managed to open his eyes, he realized his head was incredibly painful. Once his eyes focused, he saw George sitting there like an angel of mercy holding the very remedy he needed and water, bless him.

After downing both of them, he managed to sit up by himself and glance around. He saw the floor had been dealt with, he noticed that Merlin had an extra cover and now had braided hair. It was clear that the boy hadn't known what to do, as he had done anything he could think of.

As the headache faded, he pushed himself to his feet and sent George to find Gwen so that they could get Merlin dressed. The boy nodded, and after at emotion filled look at the girl, he rushed off. Once the lad was out of the room, he began examining his ward.

She was still having trouble breathing, her shoulder was swelling back up, and she would likely be out for over a day with the amount of the drug in the bathwater. None of which was good. While waiting for Gwen to arrive, he began wrapping the inflamed joint. He knew it might take some time to find her.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

It had taken a bit of convincing, but Gwen managed to get Gwaine to calm down enough to talk to Arthur about what happened. The knight kept stating that 'the princess won't listen, Agravaine is his family' and that he could deal with the weasel himself. But by the time they reached the King's chamber, he understood the plan in which they were only going to tell the blonde the facts and then watch the vile lord themselves.

Her plan fell flat on its face when Arthur sent Gwaine to gather volunteers to guard Merlin and George running up and gasping out that Gaius needed her. The rest of the day was spent constantly rushing about the castle, helping out with Merlin, trailing Agravaine, and questioning all of the servants who helped tote the water to see if anyone had seen who dosed it. By the time evening came around, she was exhausted.

Despite her weariness, she told Gaius she would sit with her fellow maid that night. If Gaius hadn't looked half dead, she would have gone home and came back fresh in the morning. George was even worse off than both of them and had been slipped a sleeping draught in the only food they had gotten him to eat.

The man was pushing himself further than anyone Gwen had ever seen. He had personally seen that the drugged water was disposed of properly so that no one else would be harmed by it. That was after he had run across the citadel several times looking for her for Gaius. After the water, he had not stopped doing anything and everything to keep busy.

It was clear that he was worried and likely angry about what all had happened, but he would never say so. Gwen had known George long enough to tell that it was all he could do not to scream in frustration. If the two of them had been left alone, she knew the man would have do something rash. Thankfully, Gaius knew George as well and made sure there was some little thing to do so that the servant wouldn't seek revenge after Agravaine.

George wasn't the kind of person who carried thoughts of pain or harm, but when something happens to those he cares about, the man often lost all rational thought. Merlin only barely stopped him from burning down the house of the man who had bumped into his mother causing her to fall and crack her head on the edge of a stall. She never woke up after that and George had run off the moment her breathing stopped. Gwen had seen how he looked the next morning when he realized what he had almost done. If Merlin hadn't stopped him, he would have hated himself for it.

Now it was Merlin who was the one who was laying there, struggling to take a full breath. If Merlin died, the maid was sure that the slippery snake of a lord would soon follow. Mainly because the two people who knew what the servant was capable of wouldn't lift a hand to stop him.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Agravaine was pleased to hear that the serving wench had nearly died earlier that day. He knew the man must have had a plan if he only injured her. It was doubtful that she survive whatever the assassin had planned for her next.

And the best part was, none of it could ever be traced back to him. No money ever changed hands, so there was no tie to his funds. And even if someone had seen the two of them together, there was no proof that he knew what the killer had planned.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gwen hadn't meant to fall asleep, but she had been so tired. Gaius was out cold in Merlin's room and George had been escorted home by Gwaine after the dosed dinner he had been given. She thought she had only dozed off for a moment when the knight returned and woke her up.

As she lifted her head, needles of pain shot up her neck and into her skull. She scrunched her eyes closed and breathed through the pain. She could hear Gaius and Gwaine talking, but she mostly heard her blood pumping through her ears.

She felt the old man's cool fingers touch the side of her neck just before a sharp stabbing raced up and down her neck and back. "I need to remove these Gwen. I know it hurts, but I need you to stay still. Gwaine, steady her head."

She couldn't help the whine of pain that escaped her lips as she felt three different things get removed from the base of her neck.

"Gaius? What were those?" Gwaine's voice was thick with worry.

Gwen was still slumped over onto Merlin's cot as the physician kneaded something cool into the burning section of her neck. "They appear to be locust thorns dipped into a drug to incapacitate its victim. Gwen? Can you move your head?"

She tried, but it felt like her neck was strapped to a board. She tried to tell him, but her tongue refused to work. She started to panic when the two men helped her to sit up.

"I was afraid of that. Gwen, it is alright. You and Merlin will be just fine. I need you to drink this. If your throat is paralysed it might go down the wrong way, but don't panic." She tried to open her eyes but they felt to heavy to lift.

As she felt the liquid enter her mouth, she noted that there was no taste. As the potion began to gather at the back of her mouth, her panic came rushing back only to be relieved by Gaius's caring hands that stroked her throat in such a way that her body instinctively swallowed. It was then that she heard the knight's quiet words.

"Will they be alright? I should have come back and checked on them last night after I took George home."

"Don't blame yourself. I was just in the other room and was none the wiser. But Merlin seems to have only fallen from the bed. The toxin on those darts would have killed Merlin in her weakened state. Gwen will be fine, but it will take a better part of the day for the drug to leave her system."

"How did this happen? And why did the attacker leave before finishing the job? Surely h-"

Gwen whimpered as the chamber door flew open and banged into the wall of shelves behind it.

"Gaius!"

"Leon? Wha- Is that George?!"

"He was found in the lower corridors. He has blood all over him, but none of it seems to be his. I tried waking him…"

"Bring him over here."

After a few minutes, the silence was once again broken.

"How is he?"

"He took a few of the same darts used on Gwen. None of the blood is his, but he seems to have taken a bite out of someone's hand. I would suggest you look for a trail of blood looking for a man missing his last finger."

"Is that…"

"This is likely the finger of Merlin's poisoner and Gwen attacker."


	6. Back Story

Getting information from two very groggy servants was an incredibly slow process. Gwen had never seen who had come into the room, but it had taken nearly an hour after she woke up to find that out. George was even worse.

It hadn't been clear at first, but the man had a concussion, which's symptoms had been masked by the drug, and had injured his jaw and gums when he bit off the man's digit. The servant was barely coherent and when he was, his injured mouth caused the words to be slurred and garbled. His focus was so bad that he couldn't even write down what had happened.

When Arthur found out, he was furious and sent scores of men to search the citadel and city for the attacker. He had Elyan escort Gwen home and was given instruction from Gaius to let her sleep off the drug and see to it that she eats. George was dosed with a painkiller and settled in Merlin's room.

Not long after George finally fell asleep, the some knights barged in with a limp and bloody form. The physician ushered them to crude cot of wood and canvas so that he could look the man over. One look and Gaius not only knew that this was the attacker from the night before, but also who this was.

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Cyfruis* had once been one of Uther's spies before Odin offered enough money to override his loyalty to Camelot. His first attempt on Arthur ended with Merlin revealing him in front of several knights and cortiers by tripping and exposing his crouched position with a loaded crossbow in his hands. They had been close to the training grounds, so a stray arrow from the new recruits would have been blamed for the accident.

If Merlin hadn't snuck a look at Cyfruis with a proud smile on her face, the man would have assumed the girl had just been lucky. The prince and the knights saw the spy and one of the ladies of court who was in the group cried out, "That man tried to kill us!" The man took his shot and ran. How the bolt missed the target at that range was mystery, but it proved that his loyalty was no longer to Uther.

He fled the city, but returned a few months later to try again, only to be stopped by the girl again when he snuck in the prince's window. She hit him over the head with something and tied him up with some rope from the wardrobe. The noise of doing so woke the royal brat, who called the guards. He escaped the dungeons easily and changed tactics.

The next few times he made his move outside of the city. Snakes on the paths the prince prefered to use when exercising his horse, drugged water in previously safe watering spots, or even some arrows during patrols. Each time that maid stopped him.

She would notice the snakes before the horses and warn her master or rides ahead and collect them in a sack that was usually meant for game. The maid always seemed to know the water wasn't good or would be sure to test it herself before allowing the prince or the horses to use it. And the arrows, the lass seemed to feel his gaze when he took aim. She would make Arthur stop suddenly, speed up, or even fall off his horse just before the bolt found its target.

After the twelfth time or so, Odin retracted his support for the assassination. On top of that, Uther had a price on his head and Odin spread the word that he wasn't worth the money to hire him. Luckily, Alined ignored Odin's message and hired him to spy on his neighboring kingdoms for a few years.

After the Lady Morgana took over Camelot, he was sent to the city to gather intel. After awhile, the sleazy king decided he knew enough and cut ties with the assassin/spy saying for him not to return to Deorham. From then on, he was an assassin for hire in Camelot.

He had been wary of Lord Agravaine at first, but after seeing three other assassins come and go from the meeting spot, he risked it. When he found out the target was none other than the meddlesome maid, he smiled. This mission wasn't for money, but revenge.

Sneaking in as a guard was too easy and drugging the water was even easier. He hoped she would drown, but it wasn't every likely unless she was worse off than the slimey lord said. What it would do was draw attention to the city and away from the bothersome wench.

He waited until the knight guarding her escorted the male servant away before approaching the chamber. Listening near the door he heard the old man retire into the back room. Cyfruis slunk back into the shadows and waited to see if the knight would return or be replaced.

After four hours, the assassin assumed that there was no one on watch that night and that the physician would be sound asleep. When he eased the door open, he saw the curly haired maid was barely awake and facing away from him. This would be too easy.

Cyfruis loaded a few darts into a thin pipe and shot them at the exposed portion of the girl's neck. When Gwen fell forward onto Merlin, the injured girl woke up. The assassin had used the sedative compound many times in the past and never had the victim woken this soon. He didn't know that Gaius had purged most of the mixture from the witch just hours before.

As he reached for his next weapon, the oddest thing happened. As his hand touched the drugged cloth in a pouch on his waist, he was flung back into the hallway and the girl was thrown from her bed to the cold floor. The man didn't know who had done it, but that had been magic.

Surely Gaius wouldn't have resorted to using sorcery after all these years, but who else would be using magic to save the wench? Not wanting to face the spellbinder who had done this, Cyfruis fled. If he lived, there there was always another chance to get even with the raven haired serving girl.

As he ran, he grabbed a handful of the locust darts and held them at the ready in case he was seen. He hid in the shadows as best he could as he slowly made his way out of the castle. He was forced to backtrack several times when his route held pairs of patrolling guards. In the end it took him over two hours to find an unguarded exit.

That was when he ran into a very angry and ticked off George.

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It wasn't until he had eaten half of his meal that he realized what Gaius and Gwen had done, but by then it was too late. He could feel the heaviness weighing down his eyelids, so he forced them to stay open just a little longer and discretely disposed of the rest of his stew into Gaius's bowl since Gwen was staying up with Merlin. Once that was done, he let his eyes close.

After that he barely remembered anything before waking up in his own bed. He suspected that Gwaine had been the one to take him home, but that was just a feeling. The one thing he did know was that Gwen and Gaius were going to regret drugging him.

It was nearly dawn when the servant reached the citadel. And he guessed it had been nearly seven hours since the two people he had called his friends had drugged him. It wasn't even the fact that they had dosed him with a sleeping draft that angered him, it was the fact that they had had someone take him all the way to his mother's house on the outer edge of the city. He would have been fine sleeping on the floor in Merlin's room if nothing else, but they sent him home to the place that reminded him of what he had lost and what he would do to keep it from happening again.

Just as he was entering the lower servants' entrance he collided with a face that he never thought he would see again. In that moment, George understood and that caused him to act without thinking. His mouth opened to call for guards or anyone nearby, but was stopped by the assassin's hand.

George didn't think twice before clamping his teeth into the palm of the attackers hand like a starving dog fighting to keep a piece of meat. Cyfruis jerked his hand away, jarring the servants jaw painfully. The man ignored his hurting mouth and lunged himself at the person who had harmed the woman he loved.

George dug his nails into Cyfruis face at the same time the former spy jammed his fist full of darts into his adversary's neck. George turned his head and grabbed the hand between his teeth while clawing at the assassin's eyes. And that was the last thing the servant remembered before his back and head collided with the passage wall.

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Gaius stared at the figure on the cot for only a moment before send he sent one of the knights to get the king. For the first time since the purge, Gaius was tempted to not treat the patient before him. In fact, he was quite proud of the damage George had inflicted.

The man's face was in shreds and his left eyelid was nearly torn off. Both of the traitor's hands were coated with blood from bite marks and the missing end finger. What didn't make sense to the physician was why the man was unconscious. His injuries were painful, but not so much as to make him pass out nor could it be from blood loss.

"Where was he found? Was he unconscious when he was found?" Gaius questioned as he turned to the three knights still in his chambers.

They were young knights who had given their positions after the city was reclaimed from Morgana and Morgause. Two of them had been guards at the time and the other, a squire. None of them had expected to be knighted by the Prince Regent, now King, but they and nearly a dozen more had been promoted over a year before.

Sir Evan was the one who answered Gaius's questions. "He was found at the foot of the inner wall. I believe he may have wandered off the edge due to his hindered sight."

Gaius nodded. The wall on the palace side was only waist high, while on the side with the city, it was a nearly a thirty foot fall. It would have been easy for the injured assassin to have toppled over the edge, especially given the condition he was in and that he would have been facing the rising sun as well.

As much as he wanted the renegade spy to suffer for his actions, the physician knew that they would need information that only the bleeding man could supply. So while he waited for Arthur to arrive, he got to work making sure that assassin would live to provide the answers needed. He just hoped that if Agravaine had been behind this, that the noble wouldn't attempt to end the man before he could expose the true loyalties of the king's uncle.

The real issue that pressed on Gaius's mind was whether the young royal would believe his uncle was a traitor, or would he deny the facts in front of him like he had always done with family in the past.

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After the guard turned knight told him the girls' attacker had been found and was currently under Gaius's care, Arthur thanked the man and had him send word to the other search parties. As soon as he heard that the poisoner was in need of the physician's care, the king couldn't help but wonder what all George had done to the man.

He knew that the servant had bitten off one of the man's fingers and according to Leon, the man had had blood all over his hands and arms as well as his face. What could a servant half drugged, both by gaius and the attempted assassin, have accomplished like that? Arthur wasn't sure if he was proud of the man, or scared.

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*Cyfruis is a butchered version of the Welsh word for sly.


	7. Revelations

Agravaine was the last to know that the rogue spy had been caught. He was furious that he, Arthur's Uncle and Right Hand, had not been informed. Had he been, he would have seen that the injured man was placed in the coldest, dampest, most vermin infested cell he could find. The elements would have finished him off soon enough.

But no. The one person who could prove he was the one who put a price on the wench's head was under guard and being treated by the most experienced healer in the five kingdoms! Not only that, his idiot nephew was sitting in the Physician's chambers waiting to question the traitor to moment he woke!

It was only a matter of time before Arthur found out the true. There was nothing keeping him in the city now. He just hoped the Lady Morgana would be able to use this to her advantage. If not, he was as good as a dead man.

A disgusted, yet amused, snort pushed its way out of him. Uther had seen to it that he had no family but Ygraine's blasted son, now both of Uther's spawn would be out for his blood. He was never supposed to die at a Pendragon's hand, but when had the old tales and prophecies ever been clear cut.

With that thought, the dark-haired lord gathered anything of value, clothing, and as much food as he could without drawing notice and slipped out of the city. By the time Arthur accepted that he had once again been duped, he would be long gone. His only regret was that he wouldn't get to see the look on the brat's face when the truth came out.

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Leon had been wound so tight over the past few days since the whole thing with Merlin collapsing, George opening up about his feelings for her, Merlin nearly drowning, Gwen and George being attacked by a former spy of Camelot, and then catching said assassin. Gwaine wasn't much better. That why Arthur sent them on a short patrol around the city and forest edge.

The day was beautiful and the horse ride was just what they needed to clear their heads. Leon was having some rare bonding time with one of his fellow brothers-in-arms and said knight wasn't rambling off random tavern tales. Instead, they were telling each other stories about how they met Merlin and George, their first battle wound, the difference between where they grew up and Camelot, and things like that.

Leon never would have pegged Gwaine a being from Carleon, but then again, Gwaine had assumed he was from Camelot. In fact, he was in middle of telling the rogue knight about growing up under the rule of Lord Godwyn when they spotted a figure sneaking out of one of the siege tunnels. He didn't recognize the person until Gwaine nearly growled the man's name.

"Agravaine."

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Arthur hated waiting. He was a man of action. Sure, he could wait for hour for a deer or in an ambush for an enemy, but his mind was always on the task. Right now, all he could do was worry about the two most important women in his life and wonder who would have sent his father's disgraced spy turned assassin after them.

He also wondered about George. The man had bored him with his dullness, but now he knew that had been an act. Why kind of person was he? Gaius, Guinevere, and the knights seemed to know him well enough. What kind of will must a man have to push through being drugged twice and fight a trained assassin with only his teeth and nails and nearly win?

Gaius had shown him the damage to the former spy's face and hands. The marks were not that different from that of a mad hound. Cyfruis had damage from his fall, but that seemed minor compared to the damage inflicted by the servant. Arthur wanted just as badly to question George as he did Cyfruis, but the man hadn't come away from the fight without injuries of his own.

Gaius had briefed him on what was wrong with Merlin's… Well Arthur wasn't sure what to call their relationship. Whatever the word, George had deep cuts to his gums from the spy's nails. He also had several loose teeth, one missing, a concussion, several badly damaged finger tips, and good number of bruises. But none of that seemed to keep the man from Merlin's side.

Currently, George was asleep on his side on the floor by Gaius's bed, in which Merlin was sleeping, with his least damaged hand covering her's. It was clear how much he cared about her and if the fight was any sign of what he would do for her, who was he to keep them apart? It would take time to grow accustom to the idea, but Merlin deserved someone who would care for her like that.

Looking up from the servant on the floor, the king locked eyes with his surprisingly awake maidservant.

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The first thing Merlin noticed as her consciousness returned was how scratchy her throat felt as she breathed. The second was the heavy, warm weight over her. How many blankets had they piled on her? Three? Any more than that and Gaius would have had to borrow a few.

Gaius. She was in Gaius's bed, not her own. Why? What had happened? Oh. Right. She had been tortured and controlled by Morgana, then she had been forced to bed while her shoulder was treated. But she distinctly remembered being in her own bed when George mumbled that he loved her.

With that that thought giving her strength, she slowly opened her eyes. Everything was blurry at first, but after a few moments her vision focused. She glanced around without moving her head.

She was right about being in Gaius's bed and at the number of blankets. Shifting her line of sight, she saw Arthur sitting in a chair by the patient cot. As if he felt her gaze, Arthur looked up from where he had been staring and looked her right in the eye.

A small smile formed on his face and stood up. As he did so, Merlin got her first glimpse of Cyfruis. Despite the paste and the wounds, she knew that man. She had come face to face with him too often not to, and seeing it now reminded her about her most recent encounter.

Had she caused those cuts? All she remembered was Gwen collapsing and then sending the assassin flying. What had happened? Was Gwen alright?

She must have been panicking since Arthur rushed to her side and asked her to calm down. Her attempts to slow her breathing turned into sharp, dry coughs. She felt herself being shifted into a sitting position before her exhaustion and lack of air caused her to pass out.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙ *. =======)=o

The sound of dry wheezing coughs brought him back to his senses lightning quick. He knew that cough. He had been the causes of it on more than one occasion. Poison, a rag around her neck, he even choked her with his bare hands the one time. He knew her coughs and nothing was going to keep him from seeing her suffer through it this time.

He only managed to open his right eye due to the bandage across the other one, but it was enough for him to see the bane of his trade cough a few more times in the arms of her master before passing out. It was a pity her demon-like companion on the floor had missed the scene, it would have made the view that much sweeter. He enjoyed watching others suffer.

That had been why Uther had hired him in the first place. The late king like having ruthless men at his call. Adrian was fine example of that. Pity the man turned to sorcery and ended up a stain on the stones of the courtyard, the man had talent.

Though it seems the new king was similar in that respect. The wench was a sly and clever one and proved to be quite loyal to her master, much like a true breed bitch. The king's closest knights were known for their skill and clever tricks. And then there was the new servant.

There boy was just as he had been in his youth. Sharp, unimposing, but dangerous. If he had to be mauled by anyone, Cyfruis was glad it was someone with a hint of madness in them. And there had been insanity in the lad's eye when he attacked. The boy had been a worthy opponent.

Thinking about the damage the servant had caused, the injured assassin turned his eyes from the two commoners and the worried royal to his maimed hands. The boy had broken two of his fingers and bit off his last finger at the lower knuckle on the one hand and left a nasty wound and bruises on the other one. He couldn't see most of the damage, but he could feel it.

'Not bad for an untrained servant. With some instruction, that boy would make a perfect spy.' He quickly brushed off those thoughts. He clearly had too many ties to his current life for the job. What a pity.

Further thoughts on George were cut off when a shadow fell over his cot. Looking towards the fire, he saw the hulking form of Sir Percival glaring at him. The light from the window and the flames in the hearth hid the knight's features, but if the hairs on the back of the former spy's neck were any indication, he was receiving a death glare from the giant.

Without a word, the large man silently made his way over to Cyfruis's side. When the man spoke, it was hardly more than a whisper, but it chilled the prone man's blood. It was only one word with a great deal of power and anger backing it.

"Why?"

Never had the assassin wanted to hide like he did at that moment. Even Late King Uther during the height of the Purge hadn't frightened him, yet a single word from a former peasant shook him to his core. There was no way he was going to take the blame for this alone. If he was going to pay, then so was the greasy snake Agravaine.

"It was a job. Get rid of the girl. Sounds simple unless you know the target. The  _Girl_  is not the easiest person to sneak past or trick, so I waited until she was vulnerable. Even then I couldn't best her."

"You mean kill."

"Yes. She is full of surprises."

"Why did you attack Gwen?"

"She was in the way. It wasn't her I was hired to remove."

"What happened."

"Despite my time in Uther, Odin, and Alined, I have no idea what happened. There was magic used, but there was no one there to cast it. Seeing as it threw  _Her_  from the bed, the caster wasn't there to protect the girl, but to stop me. Because of that, I retreated."

"And met George."

"Indeed. A bit feral, but a worthy opponent."

"Like a badger.""

"A badger protects its mate, not- oh. Interesting."

Nothing else was said, so Cyfruis let his mind follow the path the knight's last comment opened. Had she trained him? She had always known what was coming, had she forewarned him? How dare she take his perfect quarry and turn him into a love-struck pawn. The thought sickened him.

Lost in his hateful thoughts of Merlin, he missed the king's arrival at his side.

"Percival, help George with Merlin. I will take it from here."

Cyfruis watched as the hulking form of the knight was replaced by that of the young king. Glancing towards the bed that housed the meddlesome maid, he saw that the servant sleeping on the floor was now awake holding the wench lovingly. The sight disgusted the assassin, so he turned his gaze to the king. The light hit his face in just the right way that looked like he had two different faced pressed together as one. One cold and emotionless, the other burning with anger.

Never had the former spy felt any respect towards Arthur, but looking at him now, with the light as it was, he respected him more than he ever had Uther. This wasn't the overly proud and pompous prince that he had watched grow up. Not at all, this was the face a true warrior and sound king.

"Who hired you?"

"Who said I was hired?"

"Odin paid you to try all those years ago, surely you didn't wait all this time to try again. So, who hired you?"

*chuckles darkly* "So she didn't tell you? My, my. How on earth did she explain all of those times away?"

"Who?"

"Your pet, Merlin. She is a tough one."

"What are you talking about?"

"I have been back many time since the first time that brat exposed me during my first attempt on you. She is very good at finding and setting off my traps, but I have gotten her a few times."

"So, this is revenge?"

"Partly. I was offered the chance, so I took it."

"Who offered?"

"You wouldn't believe me."

"Who offered?"

"Don't blame me if you don't like what I have to say."

"Tell me."

"Agravaine."

"My uncle would never-"

"He has never liked you! He hates you for taking his sister from him. He knows that if that wench is at your side he will never be rid of you. It wouldn't surprise me if he had joined forces with your sister."

"I won't sit here and listen to your lies."

"If you don't believe me, look behind her left ear. There should be a nasty scar from our last encounter. She is a biter, but the butt of a dirk seemed to have loosened her jaw quickly."

Cyfruis watched with a smirk as the king walked determinedly over to his maid's cot to look at the scar. He also heard the low voice of the king and knight and watched as the serving boy nodded and shook his head to their quiet questions. A growl for the Arthur make it clear that he didn't like what the boy had said as did the pacing that followed.

His fun of watching the king slowly fall apart was cut short by shivers that were slowly becoming more noticeable. The pain in his hands and face began to make itself known as the pain reliever he must have been given wore off. Soon, the pain grew too much to bare, causing him to lose consciousness.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gaius returned to his chambers expecting them to as peaceful and quiet as he had left them. Instead, he found both of his patients struggling to breath, the king hiding in the corner, and two worried young men trying to ease their charge's breathing. Opting to deal with the withdrawn king after he stabilized his patients, the physician rushed to Merlin's side and checked her over. He them gave instructions to George before turning his attention to the traitor in the other bed.

Cyfruis was pale, sweating from a raging fever, shaking like a leave in a wind storm, on top of the labored breathing. An examination of the wounds under the bandages showed extensive infection in all of them. It was doubtful that draining them of the puss and washing them out would save the man, but it was his duty to save those he could, so he tried his best to heal the man who had tried to kill his ward.

It took over an hour and good bit of help from Percival to cleanse the wounds and reduce the fever to a controllable level. During that time, George had managed to settle Merlin's breathing and had fallen asleep holding her in a reclined position that allowed her to breath easily. Arthur hadn't moved at all. Leaving the spy turned assassin with the knight, Gaius made his way to the young king.

"Sire?"

"How are they?"

"Merlin should be fine. She seemed to have breathed in too deeply, disturbing the water still in her lungs. As for Cyfruis, I doubt he has long for this world."

"Good."

"Sire? Did you not wish to question him?"

"He woke up earlier and we spoke."

"I see. What did he have to say?"

"He told me my uncle ordered this. That Agravaine tried to have Merlin killed."

"Ah."

"You knew? You knew my uncle was plotting against me and you said nothing?!"

"I had no proof, sire. I hoped I had been wrong, but it appears I was not."

"He said Merlin has stopped him before."

"She asked me not to tell you."

"I am the king, I should be told when there is someone trying for my life?"

"It started long before your father's death, even before your regency. Your father knew and wished it kept from you, lest you seek him out."

"All those times I punished her for not listening to me or for lazing about. How many of them were because she was injured or trying to protect me?"

"I don't know sire. Those are questions best left for Merlin to answer once she has recovered enough to do so."


	8. Complications

Elyan was torn. Part of him wanted to sit in their father's old house and protect his sister, while another part of him wanted to march up the Gaius's chambers a finish what George had started. He had been pulled between those two choices since Leon and Gwaine had told him, on their way out of the city to patrol, what had happened since he had brought Gwen home.

So far, protecting Gwen had won. He knew that the man who had hurt her was currently under Percival and Arthur's guard, but he really wanted to tear the man apart for what he had done. Not only Gwen, but Merlin too.

If it hadn't been for Merlin, he wouldn't be back in Camelot and definitely not a knight. She was like a little sister that didn't know when to stop and was always finding trouble. Alright, so maybe it was the trouble finding her, but either way, she was always into something.

He had thought that George would have been the rational one of the couple, but if what his brothers-in-arms had told him was true, she was the brains of the two. What kind of idiot attacks an armed assassin with nothing but your teeth and nails? If Leon hadn't been the one telling the story, Elyan would have thought it just that, a story.

It was hard for him to believe it had only been a few hours ago, that it had all happened. George had been found a little after dawn and the would-be assassin about an hour after that. Now it was just shy of midday.

He wasn't sure when his sister would wake up, so he decided he had best make their lunch now, just in case she woke up soon. He had learned a lot during his time away and cooking was one of the ones he was most proud of. He wasn't nearly as good a cook as Merlin, but he wasn't nearly as bad as Gaius.

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Gwaine was angry and happy at the same time. He was angry at Agravaine for trying to get Merlin killed and in doing so hurt Gwen and George. But he was happy that the slime ball had tried sneaking out during his and Leon's little patrol so that he could be the one to bring him before Princess as the traitor he is.

He was also glad that it was Leon with him and not some other knight who would just brush off the fact that the King's uncle was sneaking away from the castle using the emergency escape routes that only a few highly-trusted knights knew about. The First Knight would at least want to question Agravaine about his careless use of the tunnels that could jeopardize the safety of the city.

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Leon was slowly becoming furious. He had never cared for Agravaine and he had first met him when his family visited Camelot when Arthur was only six years old. It had been fairly clear his dislike for his nephew back then and each time after. So, the knight had been on guard when he showed up after Morgana's betrayal and acted like he truly cared about Arthur.

There had been times where it was clear that the Lord was purposely misguiding the prince turned king, but Arthur had been blinded to it because he craved family. Now the contemptible noble had compromised the safety of the city by using the siege tunnels, ones that he wasn't even supposed to know about, to sneak off to gods know where. ' _Morgana_ ' his mind traitorous mind added, but he couldn't deny the possibility.

Add in Agravaine's extreme dislike for servants and peasants, especially Merlin, it was likely he had been behind the attack on the poor girl. If the look on Gwaine's face was an accurate indicator of his thoughts, he had come to the same conclusion. With these offences firmly planted in his mind, the First Knight of Camelot pushed forward to catch the foul uncle of his king.

Not wanting to waste time, he got Gwaine's attention and gestured for them to secure the horses and go after the lord on foot. The satisfied glint in his comrade's eyes improved Leon's mood more than he had thought it could. Together, they drew their swords and moved swiftly, yet silently, towards Agravaine.

It was almost sad how easily they crept up behind the former knight. Leon was offended that the man hadn't even noted their approach. Either Arthur had much higher standard for his knights, or Agravaine had gained his title without proper training. Whichever it was, the king's unofficial right hand hadn't been expecting them when they placed the tip of their swords to his back.

"Ah. Gentlemen. What a surprise." Agravaine's words were eerily close to those said by the old sorcerer not but a week before that the four of brothers-in-arms had sworn never to speak of.

Sharing a wary look, the two men flanked him wordlessly.

"Sir Leon, I must protest. There must be a part of the Knight's Code on how to treat a former knight. Surely." The similarity to the old sorcerer's words were too close for Leon's comfort.

"There is, but seeing as you have betrayed the crown, we don't have worry about that." Leon was thankful that Gwaine had come up with a response.

Neither man was truly surprised when Agravaine's attitude changed at Gwaine's statement.

"You are hardly one to talk. What would your late father think of you now?" Leon didn't know what the foul lord was talking about, but his friend clearly did as he was now pale and livid.

"I've a mind to run you through, but seeing as Arthur will prefer us to bring you back alive, I'll stay my sword. But hear this, if you mention my father again, you will be a dead man." Leon could only blink at the smirk that formed on the former knight's face.

"Now that is the son of the man I personally put down like the mangy creature he was. Nothing but Carleon's lap dog, that one." Seeing the pure, unaltered rage in Gwaine's eyes, Leon did the only thing he could think of. He cleanly and effectively brought his sword hilt down in the back of Agravaine's head, causing the man to crumple to the forest floor.

Stepping between the enraged knight and the piece of slime in the dirt, the lead knight tried to calm his friend down. "I didn't understand what he was saying, but Gwaine, he was playing you. He wanted you to attack him out here, away from Camelot and away from Arthur. We need to take him back and let the king know the truth about his uncle."

The anger in Gwaine's eyes lessened slightly, and now he seemed almost heartbroken as well. Leon was relieved when the man nodded his understanding and hefted the unconscious traitor over his shoulder, none too gently. The blonde was proud of his dark-haired companion. It was clear that Agravaine had hit a very sore nerve, yet the former rogue was willing to let Arthur have a say in the fate of the last the de Bois line.

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George was still groggy and lightheaded from his head injury, near constant adrenaline rushes when Merlin got into a nasty coughing fit, and from hardly having ate or drank in days. He was hungry, but he doubted he would be willing to eat anything Gaius put in front of him for a long time. Now that his anger had faded, he understood why they had drugged him, but he was still upset that they had forced him to go back to his empty house.

He was lost in the thoughts about his rage as he has clawed the man who had hurt Merlin on more than one occasion. He could still feel the skin tearing under his fingernails, the taste of the man's blood in his mouth, and the how hurt when he ripped the pinky finger from the assassin's hand with his teeth. He hated it, yet he knew he would do it again to keep Merlin safe.

He was brought out of these thoughts by a hand on his shoulder. Looked up, he saw Percival's worried face and a bowl. As the dish was placed in front of him, on the edge of his love's bed, he noted that this was one of the servant bowls from the kitchens, not one of Gaius's and that it was full of thick, but chunk less, soup.

"I didn't think your mouth was up to doing much chewing, so I got you some soup from the kitchen. I got some stewed apples for you, merlin too if she wakes up soon." George couldn't help but glance around the room for the physician, just to be on the safe side.

"He left almost an hour ago. A thatcher fell from a roof just beyond the wall of the training grounds." The man looked like he wanted to say more, but didn't.

Nodding gently so not to make his head worse, to turned to his soup. He stared at the food longingly as he tried to figure out how he was meant to eat it with his hands bandaged as they were. As it was, there was no way he could hold a spoon steady enough to keep from spilling the liquid.

"You could try drinking it like it is a big cup." George jerked his head up at the sound of that breathy female voice.

As his head swam painfully, he felt large hands steady this shoulders, letting him know that he must have swayed in his dizziness. His ears were ringing so badly that the warning bells would have rung beside him and he wouldn't have heard them. After what felt like days, his vision finally cleared, he found himself in the bed with Merlin and that his head was currently in her lap with her fingers gently running through his hair.

Looking up, he saw the worried faces of not just Percival and Merlin, who seemed to have tears in her eyes, but Gaius and the king as well. No sooner did he meet the woman he loved eye's than his own slipped shut against his will. A sharp pain on the back of his hand caused his eyes to briefly flutter open.

When he opened his eyes next he saw their lips moving, but the ringing hum in his ears blocked their words. As his eyes started to fall again, he felt his ear being flicked. He tried and failed to stay awake as the last of the adrenaline faded from his system.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

He hadn't thought about how George was going to eat the soup he had brought for him and when the poor girl had woken up and gave a suggestion, George had moved too quickly and ended up passing out. He had sent the guard outside the door to find Gaius before going back to deal with the couple. Merlin was hyperventilating and George was cold on the floor in the nest of bedrolls and blankets he had been resting in since his concussion had been realized. Knowing there wasn't much he could do for George right now without Gaius, the big man focused on calming his pseudo-sister. He had only just calmed her down when Arthur and Gaius ran in, panicking Merlin all over again.

He let the king take over dealing with Merlin and told Gaius what had happened. Gaius listened professionally as he checked George over for the third time that day. The knight knew that the servant had a concussion, he had been told when he had been assigned to guard the dying ex-spy, but this was not like any concussion he had ever seen.

"It appeared that his cranium is fractured. The stiffness of his neck likely aggravated the injure when he moved his head. I tried to give him a muscle relaxant for it, but he was afraid I was trying dose him with a sleeping tonic again." There was a note of defeat in the man's quiet tone that set his hairs on edge.

"Is there anything to be done? Surely there is something." Arthur voice was barely over a whisper so that Merlin would not hear what was being said.

"There is a chance that there is no bleeding or leakage from the brain, but only a small one. He is not reacting to light or sound and I fear the use of smelling salts will do more harm than good."

"What can we do?" Percival felt sick at the thought of Merlin losing the man she clearly loved before they could truly be together.

"If he wakes on his own, there is a chance he will pull through. He is a strong lad and he has something to fight for. Hopefully, it will be enough." His old eyes looked over to where the couple lay just out of reach of each other.

"Then we give him more to live for." Percival only had time to blink before he rushed to help his king carefully move the prone man from the floor to on the bed with Merlin.

Merlin nearly cried in relief and begged to be helped into a sitting position. It took several pillows, that seemed to have been mysteriously left at the door, to prop her up and then Gaius meticulously positioned George so that his head was properly supported in his ward's lap. Merlin seemed to have realized just how bad the situation was because she started to cry as she gently carded her long fingers through George's partially matted hair.

Merlin tears had dried by the time George began to stir. None of them wanted to get their hopes up, knowing that this could just as likely be the beginning of a fit as it was for his to be waking up. When his eyes opened, Percival let out a massive breath that he had been unaware he had been withholding.

The joy in the room grew as George's eyes locked on to each of their faces with recognition, but when his eyes landed on Merlin's teary ones, his slid shut. Merlin's breath hitched as she looked to Gaius who wore a slight smile. She lost the panicked look in her eyes, but continued to worriedly pick the tangles from her beau's hair.

After an hour, Gaius told them he was going to try to wake George again. It took a sometime, but a needle to the back of his left hand finally got the man to open his eyes again. It was only for a moment before they drifted shut again. This time, there was no smile, but a worried frown.

It wasn't quite an hour later when George opened his eyes again without any prompting. Gaius explained why this was a good thing as we noticed the confused look on the man's face as he seemed to watch our mouths move. As he started to fall back to sleep, the physician reached out and snapped his fingers loudly beside the servant's ear, but George didn't react. Muttering something, the old man flicked the lad's ear which caused a slight flinch.

This seemed to appease Gaius, as he stopped the action and wondered over to his books. They all sat there, not knowing what to do. Percival managed to talk Merlin into drinking some of the now cold broth meant for George and to eat a bit of the stewed apples that had been kept farm by the fire. Then they waited.

After an hour, Gaius tried to wake the man again. This time, nothing seemed to be working. Gaius even tried the smelling salts, despite the risked he had mentioned before. Nothing seemed to be getting even the slightest reaction from the poor fellow. That was when they saw the blood.

"Gaius!" Merlin was nearly hysteric.

Percival could only watch as the physician tried once again to rouse George. Poor Merlin had been beside herself since this started. He knew she blamed herself just as he felt this was his fault.

George's ear that had been on Merlin's lap had been bleeding and none of them had noticed. Oddly, this seemed to relieve Gaius instead of worry him. Something about relief of pressure and something about smell or hearing. Or at least, that was what Percival thought he had said, but the rate at which he was speaking, there was every chance that he was wrong.

That was when the assassin in the patient cot across the room decided to have a fit. Percival had nearly forgotten that the man wasn't dead. Knowing that Gaius was busy with whatever he was doing with those books and the king was trying to keep his weak maid calm, he decided he had to be the one to make sure the former spy didn't make a mess or break the cot. None of them cared if he died, and Gaius had already said there was nothing more he could do for the cretin.

After a minute or two, the man went slack and started breathing roughly and sounded like he was breathing through a running nose despite the fact the sound was coming from his mouth. Not really wanting to go back and sit helplessly beside Merlin as she ran her hands nonstop through George's hair, he sat on the stool by the foot of the cot. He was still sitting there when Gaius when back over to the man in the bed with his ward and pinched his ear.

Percival was surprised when George gave a whimper and weakly lifted a hand try and bat away the physician's hand. As Merlin cried with happiness, Percival turned to the odd sound beside him. He was half surprised to see the dying man's eyes open and relatively clear despite his high fever and extensive infected injuries.

"What was that?" Percival was now sure that the odd sound had been Cyfruis attempting to talk.

The man tried again, but the knight was unable to make out any of the words. Percival blinked in surprise as Gaius appeared with a cup of water and helped the traitor drink. There words were clearer now, but they didn't make sense to the bear of a man. Gaius seemed to understand and hurried back to his work table.

Turning his attention back to the man in the cot, he saw that he was sweating heavily even though he was dehydrated and seemed to be able to take deeper breaths. Given that Gaius had told them the man was dying, Percival was curious how a single cup of water has caused such a profound change. As he turned to look at what the physician was doing, the knight noticed a change, but could not quite place it.

Turning back to Cyfruis, he saw that the man was no longer appeared to be breathing. Grabbing the spoon from the bowl that had held the man's last meal, Percival wiped it off and held it by the assassin's nose and mouth. When no fog appeared, he felt the man's neck for a pulse. Not feeling one, he placed his hand on the man's still chest just to be sure. There was no movement and no beat from the former spy's heart. He was dead.

Without a word, Percival straightened out the body and removed the wadded blanked that had been keeping the man tilted on his side, allowing the body to lay flat. He uncurled the man's hands and made them lay flat as well as he could with the bandages still in place. Once that was done, he shook out the wadded blanket and hide the body from sight.

Not wanting to sit with the body, the knight moved back to his seat at Merlin's bedside. She was asleep and George was as well, not that Percival had expected him to be awake. Arthur looked frazzled to say the least. The big man could practically hear Merlin commenting on her master's messy hair and rumpled clothing.

"He is dead then?" The king's voice was soft enough not to wake the poor woman.

"Yes, Sire." Percival didn't even feel affected by the fact at all, he was neither relieved by or remorseful at the man's passing.

"Then you are free to go if you wish. Though, I think the guards should remove the body." Arthur sounded exhausted.

"I'll see to it Sire. You should rest. Camelot needs her king to be alert if anything should happen." As the royal returned his attention to the pair in the bed in front of them, Percival realized Arthur had no intention of moving from his spot.

"You can sleep in Merlin's room on her straw tick or you can return to your own chambers and bed and we will let you know of any changes." Percival was glad that Gaius had been the one to force the king to rest.

"I am fine." Percival could just see Merlin rolling her eyes at that comment.

"If you were, I would be highly surprised. It has been trying few months for you since becoming king and just today you have had the woman you love drugged, found out the your replacement servant took down a trained assassin with no weapons and nearly died hours later because of it, had it revealed to you that your uncle was not what you thought, and realized that your maid who you treat like a sister has been injured and saved your life multiple times without your knowledge." Percival thought Gaius had gone a bit too far, but it seemed to get through to him that is was alright for him to need rest.

"Percival, see that the body is properly dealt with and see if my uncle has been found. I'll be in Merlin's room." Without another word, the King of Camelot went to rest in the bed of a servant.

"What did Cyfruis say to you, before he died?" Percival knew this was highly off topic, but he truly wanted to know before he made arrangements for the body.

"He was delirious, but in essence, he gave me the key I needed to help George." Percival gave his elder a questioning look that clearly begged for details.

"His mind was nearly gone with fever, but he seemed to think George was his apprentice. Not wanting someone he trained to die, he told me what the poison was made of and why it was affecting George this way. If he was correct, most of George's symptoms are being exaggerated by the drug." Percival blinked at the idea of the man known as the perfect servant being trained as an assassin.

"Since the drug is meant to be used on victims that are not expecting an attack and who haven't gone days with only a meal or two, so it hit George hard. It mixed with the adrenaline in his system and would have kept him awake for a very long time if his head hadn't been hit quite so hard. When he woke from that, the drug kept him awake until his body could no longer take the strain and the adrenaline passed. It is drug keeping him from waking more than his injury. Also, his body was unable to break down the drug due to having eaten and drank very little over past week." Percival just nodded despite not understanding all of what was said.

"So, he will be alright?" That really was the important part.

"Once I have gotten some food and a few potions in him, he should improve quickly. Only time will tell if his hearing will return." Percival nodded his understanding before leaving to deal with the former spy's body.

Now that he knew what the man had done with his last moments, the knight decided the assassin would be buried outside of the city instead of thrown in the trash pit and covered over like many other traitors had been. The man had shown some pity for what he had done, he had even been honoured to have been taken down by George. That earned him a slightly better place of eternal rest.


	9. And Now We Wait

Gwen felt lousy. Her head was throbbing, her neck was sore, and she had failed to keep Merlin safe. Elyan tried to make her feel better, but his cooking and constant chatter was not enough to cheer her up. She wanted to go sit with Merlin, hug and comfort George, strangle Agravaine, and she wanted Merlin's attacker to die slowly, but not necessarily in that order.

She was sure that her brother knew who had hurt her and her friends, but she saw the fury in his eyes when she asked about him and changed topics. She knew that he was trying to protect her from someone, but she just wanted to know who had been behind it all. Her money was on Agravaine, but he would not have done this himself, so someone else attacked them. Was it someone she knew? Was that why Elyan was keeping silent on the topic? Did Arthur know that Agravaine was behind it all? How was he taking the news? Was the lord in the dungeons, dead, or was he still roaming free? Was Merlin alright? What about George? How was he fairing with all of this?

She did not even notice when she went from staring at the floor of her house to being fast asleep until she was gently shaken awake. She opened her eyes to see Gaius. After a short examination, he handed her a tonic. When she opened her eyes from swallowing the vile concoction, Gaius was gone. She almost wanted to smile at how he managed to avoid telling her anything. Almost.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Despite her weak and tired state, Merlin was questioned by no less than three lords of the council, as well as Leon, Arthur, and Sir Geoffrey. Six people asking all she knew about Cyfruis and then later, about Agravaine's treachery. When she was asked by the council members why she had not told anyone about the perfid lord and the assassin, she stated that the late king had known about the spy and that the knight Valliant had showed her that her word was nothing against a lord's, especially when they are the king's brother-in-law or uncle. Leon and Sir Geoffrey seemed to understand when she stated that she had no real proof about Agravaine and that she thought Uther had discussed what had happened with former royal mole with them after the events had taken place.

The one that was the hardest on Merlin was Arthur's betrayed look as he asked, "Why Merlin, during all these years did you never tell me that that mad man had been after me?"

Merlin forced her eyes to stay open, despite the need to close them to give her the strength to go over the questions again. "Do you remember the assassin that tried to kill you when you hid in Gwen's house and entered the jousting tournament with that farmer I found acting as the knight behind the mask?" She waited for the king's confirmation before continuing.

"Odin had sent him and Cyfruis was sent as soon as the news of Myror's failure reached him. Your father made me vow on Gaius' life that I would protect you from him and never tell you what had happened."

Merlin stopped there to catch her breath before continuing. "Do you think I wanted you to think I was a drunk? It was better for you to blame the ale than for your father to hurt Gaius or send him away. I am not sorry I did it. You were far more than just my master by then Arthur. I wanted to keep you safe. If I had to let you think I spent my nights in the tavern instead of letting you know that I had gotten hurt while keeping you from being killed, so be it. I would do it all again, it is my job, my duty, to serve you."

She inhaled deeply after that, which set off a coughing fit. When that finally subsided, the king's face held worry rather than hurt. That was when she noticed Arthur's hand gently rubbing soothing circles on the sorest part of her back. 'When had that started?' rang through her mind as her eyes started to flutter shut.

As she felt her king ease her back against the pillows, she heard him quietly thank her. Or, her dreams had already started. The latter was more likely in Merlin's mind. But either way, she had not needed to talk about how long Agravaine had been against them. That was why she has a slight smile on her face in her sleep.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Arthur was sitting in a chair staring at his uncle's unconscious form on the dungeon floor. He knew in his mind that Agravaine was a lying, backstabbing snake, but his heart kept reminding him that the man was his mother's only living relative, the last of the de Bois family. He was not sure what he was going to do when the man he had trusted awoke.

It had been almost an hour since Leon and Gwaine had brought him back to the city, draped over the neck of Leon's horse. He had thought his uncle was dead, given how he was positioned on the mare. It was not until Gwaine had requested the guards take the soon-to-be former lord and lock him in a cell that he realized he was going to have to give his uncle a trial and a sentence.

After asking Gaius and Leon to look into his uncle's crime and sending Gwaine to inform Elyan the man had been caught, Arthur had come down to the dungeon. He did not know when the man would wake, but that was fine with the king. It gave him time to think.

Giving Agravaine a trial was only to show the people of Camelot that no one was above the law. Cyfruis' testimony in front of himself, and also Percival, was enough to have the noble executed. Add in all the times Gaius knew Agravaine had been plotting against him, he did not really need to have the trial, but he would. The people need to see that their king is honest and will do what needs to be do, despite the personal cost.

That just left the punishment. He could not just banish him, not only did Agravaine know too much about the city's defenses, it would show weakness on his part if he allowed his uncle to walk free. No, he had to do something harsher.

Imprisonment for life was a waste of resources and would make it easier for Morgana to free him if they were indeed working together like Cyfruis had predicted. Public execution was also out. His father had been fond of ending any perceived threat publicly as a show of strength and power, but Arthur saw it differently. Those executions had been a warning to the people that they could be next and Arthur did not want the people of Camelot to follow him because they feared him. No, Agravaine would be executed for all to see.

That only left private execution, which was as bad if not worse than the public ones, or a duel. George was the one with the most right to challenge Agravaine, but he was not a knight and he was in no shape to fight a former knight of the realm. That left himself and Elyan. In Arthur's mind, a duel between himself and his uncle was no better than an execution. There was no real chance of Agravaine's survival in a match like that, but with Elyan, that was a different story.

Guinevere had been injured due to Agravaine hiring an assassin who was a known enemy of the crown to kill the king's maid. Since she is the sister of a knight, it would make sense that her brother would defend her honour and challenge the man behind the attack on his sister. It would be a fairer fight than one between himself and his uncle, so it would not be looked on as unfavorable by the people and the other kingdoms.

With that decided, the King of Camelot sat on the chair he had borrowed from the Guards room, waiting for his traitorous uncle to awake. And heaven help them both if he denied his actions. If that happened, Arthur might decide to send the man to Queen Annis like the man had done with her husband.


	10. Duel

It was the pulsating pain in the back of his head that woke Agravaine. He knew where he was the moment he gave it notice, despite his eyes being closed. This was not his first time locked in the cells, but he knew it was likely his last. Feigning sleep, he took in the environment around him.

He was in one of the upper, larger cells. His left leg was shacked, likely to the back wall of the cell. He had old straw, the mold and dust had made his head and nose stuffy while he had been unconscious. There were torches lit nearby, he could hear them sputtering in the background and see their flickering light through his eyelids. Just outside his prison, he could hear the sound of someone standing watch.

"Are you done pretending to sleep, Uncle?" Agravaine stifled a smirk at his nephew's voice.

"Just gathering my bearings, Sire." He responded as he rolled onto a sitting position from where he had been laying on his stomach, a position they had likely put his in so he would not drown in his own vomit if the hit to the head had caused such a thing to happen before he was questioned.

"Why did you do it Uncle?" Agravaine held back a scoff.

"You are the reason my sister died so young. She was barely more than a child herself." He was surprised at the levelness of his own voice.

"No, not that. I understand why you hate me. I can even imagine why you sided with Morgana. What I don't understand is, what did Merlin do that you sent an assassin after her?" Agravaine's mouth opened on its own accord.

Was the boy mad? What had the meddling wench ever done? All his plans she had foiled, all the lies she exposed, all the nobleness she brought out? The tempers she soothed? Was Arthur really that blind? But given Uther had been the same way, even Morgana held an oblivious nature at times, it was not to hard t believe Arthur did not see the girl's actions.

"She was in the way, as always. Nothing more, nothing less." It was better not let him know more than necessary.

"She has stopped assassins from attacking me before, so you sent one after her, while she was ill and weak, so that I would be vulnerable?" So the boy could learn, how refreshing.

"I saw a chance and I took it." Agravaine was proud of the slight condescending tone that coated his words.

The lord was somewhat surprised when his nephew simply nodded and stood. He did not seem angry, like expected, but understanding. It was strange seeing his side of the boy, the good ruler.

"You are to face trial in the morning. If the council agrees that you indeed committed treason, you will face single combat. If they find you innocent, as unlikely as that may be, you may still be challenged by one of the knights." It was unlikely the council, who despised him, would vote in his favor.

"If I am found guilty, who will be my opponent? You perhaps?" It would disgrace Camelot if the King dueled to the death with his own advisor, so Agravaine hoped Arthur would fight him.

"No Uncle. You will face someone who you unknowingly wronged. Goodbye Uncle." Agravaine watched as his nephew walked away.

Who was he going to fight? The servant boy was not trained, nor in any condition to fight if the rumors were true. Gaius was too old and abhorred fighting. That left a guard or knight, but which one?

The disgraced lord spent the entire day and into the night worrying about who he would face. Never once did he think about the connection between Arthur's beau and one of the knights. In his arrogance, he had never noticed that Sir Elyan and Guinevere were brother and sister.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Gwen was irritated that she still did not have any answers. Elyan had avoided talking about it the last two days and nights, and even the following morning when he took her to see Gaius. Her brother left as soon as she was seated and then she was questioned thoroughly by the physician. When he was satisfied that she was on the mend, he asked her to watch over Merlin and George while attended to other duties. Gaius did not even wait for her to respond before he picked up his medicine bag and left.

The two were asleep on adjoining cots. Merlin's hand was held between George's heavily bandaged hands while Merlin had her hand by his bandaged ear. The sleeping woman had pillows keeping her head raised and partially on her side, towards George, to help with her still labored breathing.

They were so sweet like that. Their love was clear to see. At that moment, Gwen wondered if anyone ever looked at her and Arthur and thought the same thing. She doubted it. They had hidden their feelings too well for too long for their love to be as open as that between Merlin and George, but she could not help but hope that it would be. One day.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

The trial for Lord Agravaine had been blessedly short is Sir Leon's opinion. The council heard from Sir Geoffrey, Gaius, Percival, Gwaine, and himself before declaring the man guilty. The knight was glad of it, as the man had a silver tongue and might have used its charm to persuade the council given more time. When he heard the man was to face single combat, the blonde grew worried.

Surely Arthur would not stoop to fighting his uncle himself, surely. That would disgrace the entire kingdom. He was about to ask who the lord was to fight when Sir Geoffrey announced the fight was to be between Lord Agravaine and Sir Elyan. Now Leon had a new reason to worry.

He had known Elyan since before he was born. Mary, Gwen and Elyan's mother, had worked for his parents and had been working when he came. They had grown up together. When he was sent to train in Camelot after Mary's death, Tom, their father, went with him and brought his children along as well.

He had been the only one Elyan had told about his plans to leave Camelot and travel. He had been the one to finance the journey. His childhood friend had returned a weapons master, as a brother to Merlin, and as a friend to Arthur. One would think that would lessen his fear for his friend, but it increased it instead.

Elyan was a swordsman, yes, but his strength was in other forms of weaponry. Agravaine had once been considered one of the greatest swordsmen in all of the Five Kingdoms. This would be a very close battle.

He volunteered himself as Elyan's second and briefed his friend of all the quirks, talents, and weaknesses he knew about. Agravaine had twenty years of experience on Elyan and had long been renowned for his accomplished footwork and jigging. The lord was not overly strong with blades other than a plain sword. If Elyan used a different blade, Agravaine would not be able to fight well with it if he got his hands on it. And most of all, the traitor was not used to training with men a varying skill levels, so using the style of one of the other knights would be an advantage for Elyan.

By the time the fight was to start, Leon was a ball of nerves. He knew Elyan was as prepared, but he was still convinced it would be an even match. With all that Agravaine had done, the knight felt the fight should be less balanced.

It wasn't until after the fight started that Leon realized that nothing has been said about what would become of the traitor if he won the fight. Noting that Sir Geoffrey was only a few feet away, Leon made his way over to the old librarian while keeping an eye on the fight. The man had been a key member of the council since the late King Uther conquered Camelot nearly forty years ago.

"Sir Leon." The man did not sound the least bit worried about the duel going on in front of them.

"Lord Geoffrey." Leon winced at the sound of his own voice.

"Fear not, your friend is more than a match for that fiend." The slight chuckle in his elder's voice drew his eyes from the fight to the man's smiling face.

"What makes you so sure? They seem fairly matched from where I stand." The older man's smile grew.

"Your friend is well trained, has proven his skill, and is young. That blaggard has none of that." Leon felt his mouth open on its own.

"Are you saying he did not earn his title?" The librarian chortled.

"He was given the title as a mere boy, no older than eighteen. His father thought it would inspire the boy. I tried to teach him, but he wanted only to impress the ladies with his dancing. His older brother made sure he knew the forms and footwork, but his legacy was mainly manufactured until after Our young king's birth. He tried to challenge Uther, God rest his soul, but Tristan beat him to that. He was the last De Bois, other than our king. He learned, but he was never as good as his brother, who was a far cry from our late king. Tell me Sir Leon, do you think Sir Elyan could have stood his ground with the former King of Camelot?" Leon had to think on that.

As he pondered the elderly knight's question he watched the pair trade blows. It was clear that their styles were very different. Elyan seemed to be testing his opponent's limits, while Agravaine seemed to be toying with the younger man.

"What would happen if Lord De Bois were to win? He committed treason, that alone should warrant his death, yet he was given the change to life. Is there a plan in place should he succeed?" That had been his original reason for talking to the lord, but the man had sidetracked his thoughts.

"Should he live, he will be banished to Caerleon. He will be delivered to Queen Anis herself with a letter from our king describing what the lord had done, including his role in the death of her husband." The man waggled his eyebrow at his implication.

A small smile formed on Leon's face as he thought about the living hell the queen could bestow on the vile lord. He was pleased to know that should his friend fail to best the lord that a terrible fate awaited the man. He just hoped it would not come to that.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Gaius winced as the fall of each blow. He was a physician, he hated violence and death. Despite that, he wanted Agravaine to die, and preferably slowly, for al the pain he had caused both Merlin and Arthur. He knew what fate lay before the lord should he overpower Sir Elyan, but he did not wish to see the young man die for that punishment to be given.

He knew the strength of both men's fighting style and favor laid with neither man. One had years of experienced with swords, the other well versed in a variety of fighting styles. One was fighting for honour, the other for their life. It could go either way really.

When Agravaine got a hit and Elyan went down, Gaius' heart fell. Gwen and Merlin would be inconsolable. The young man was their brother and they were not aware of the battle. They would blame themselves.

As Geoffrey called a cease to the fight. Gaius rushed to the young man's side as two knights flanked the traitor. The physician quickly checked the heart and breathing before announcing that Sir Elyan was still alive.

Shouts rang out from those watching. Gaius worked on keeping his charge alive while listening to what was happening around him. As he pressed a rag to the gash in the knight's side, Geoffrey called out over the din of the crowd.

"Despite his opponent remaining alive, it is the consensus of the court that Lord Agravaine be declared the winner. As he is a known traitor of the throne, he is to be escorted from the kingdom to live out the rest of his days banished to the lands of Queen Annis, an ally of the crown. Under her watch, he will live out his banishment." Gaius felt a burst of pride when he realized his friend had just saved Sir Leon from fighting the lord in Sir Elyan's place while also making sure that the man would receive the punishment he deserves for his crimes.

"Are my wounds to be seen to before I am ran from my home?" Gaius grit his teeth and focused on stopping the bleeding from the side wound.

"Your home was the land of the De Bois, not Camelot. And seeing as the court physician is occupied and his assistant is bedridden due to your treachery, you will have to tend to them yourself on your way to Caerleon." Gaius did not have time to enjoy his friend's words as two guards arrived with the stretcher.

From then on, Gaius' sole focus was keeping Sir Elyan alive. He was not willing to imagine the girls if he failed. As he and the guards rushed toward the citadel, Sirs Gwaine, Percival, and Thomas and a handful of guards hauled the traitor off towards the city walls and the man's doom.


	11. Aftermath

George woke to the distinct feeling of having not finished a task he should have completed. His head felt like he had gotten drunk and fallen down every stair in the citadel, but he felt as though he had left something half complete. A few years ago, the feeling would have bothered him, but after his lessons with Merlin, he now knew perfection was within his reach.

Thinking about those early days of lessons triggered a more recent memory, King Arthur asking him to teach Merlin to be a better servant. That triggered the memory of her injury, getting permission to court her from the king and knights, Merlin nearly drowning, getting drugged and left in his remembrance laden home, fighting with the man who had hurt Merlin, and then a haze of pain and worry.

Slowly peeling his eye not pressed into the pillow open, he saw he was laying on a bed directly across from a sleeping Merlin with Gwen sitting in a chair beside them angrily sewing. He was worried for a moment when he realized that he could hardly hear her perturbed mumbling, but the feeling of a bandage over his raised ear dispelled it as quickly as it had come. That was when he remembered his own injuries.

He had been exhausted before his fight with the assassin, but that was nothing in comparison to how he felt now. On top of his tiredness, his neck felt like he had fallen asleep on the armory floor after being pummeled by the all the knights of Camelot from the darts the man had stabbed into his neck coupled with how he had been sleeping at Merlin's bedside. His swollen, bandage-wrapped hands throbbed, especially around the tips of his fingers where he had nearly ripped his nails out clawing at the man. His mouth was a mess from the fight, teeth loose, jaw sore, and swollen tongue. Then there was his head, the spy had hit his skull so hard against the wall that his brain hurt. Not being able to hear completely through a covered ear was the least of his concerns.

He was about to brave the idea of using his tortured mouth to ask Gwen for some water when the main chamber door flew open. Two guards rushed in carrying a stretcher while Gaius seemed to be treating the person as they went. On the litter was Elyan.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Gwen was frustrated with everyone for not telling her anything. She had expected answers when she had come to Gaius' chambers, but instead, she had been left to watch her love-stricken friends sleep while she stewed in questions. She didn't know who had hurt the three of them, if the person had been caught (though she suspected they had been), why they had done it, or why she was being kept from knowing the answer to any of those questions. She was irritated and she was stabbing a needle through cloth to vent and if it ended up a new shirt for George, then so be it.

What could be so horrible that she shouldn't know why she had been drugged, why Merlin had nearly drowned, why George had a head injury, a damaged jaw, and possible hearing loss? All of it was likely Agravaine's fault, but why? Him working with Morgana wasn't far-fetched by any stretch of the imagination, but him just hating Uther, Arthur, and all of Camelot for taking his sister from him was just as likely. None of that would be a reason to keep her in the dark about what was going on.

She could not think of a single good reason for it. The only bad reason she had come up with was that Arthur and her brother were being overprotective males who thought she was too delicate to be burdened with the truth and had asked Gaius to help them. And that idea just irked her even more, leading her to sew more and more aggressively.

She was so angry that she missed George waking up, Merlin rousing, and the sound of approaching footfalls. When the door flew open, she was about to let whoever had barged in get the full brunt of her frustration when she realized what was happening. Elyan was on a stretcher, covered in blood despite Gaius pressing down heavily on his wound. At that moment, she understood why they hadn't told her what was going on.

Her brother was dressed for a fight. He had known this might happen and hadn't told her. The only reason he wouldn't have was if he was going to fight her attacker. That could mean only two possible things in her mind, Agravaine had been behind everything and Elyan had challenged him or he had been allowed trial by combat and had fought her brother. If the look of how much blood he had on him, Elyan had lost that fight.

Her anger was swept away by her worry and fear for her brother. There was no free patient cot, so she rushed to clear off the table for Gaius to treat Elyan on. She did not even stop to think it was not her place to treat her own brother. She just did what she knew she could for Gaius before looking over to check on Merlin and George only to see that both her charges were awake and staring in horror.

George looked sick. He was even paler than usual, shaking, and looked like he was a moment away from vomiting. She was not sure why he seemed more upset than she was, but given his state, he may have been thinking that their attacker had struck again for all she knew. But he looked better than Merlin.

The poor thing was nearly hyperventilating, she was trying to sit up, but didn't have the strength to do so, and looked all the world as if she thought this was her fault. Merlin had trained with Gaius more than Gwen, so maybe she saw something her dark-skinned friend didn't understand or maybe she knew there were so many things that could go wrong. Either way, she needed to calm down before she vomited, passed out, or both. Because no one in the room wanted those possibilities to happen.

For the next quarter of an hour, Guinevere tended to her friends while the physician worked to help her brother. Twice Merlin had fallen into a coughing fit, George nearly fell out of his bed to try to help her, and Gwen had also had to help the guards assisting Gaius finds the supplies the physician had asked for. For 15 minutes she managed not to think about the fact she might lose her brother.

After that, she not only thought about it, but she over thought. She then got lost in her memories of losing her mother, how she thought she had lost Elyan when he had left to travel outside of Camelot and their home city, and the death of her father. She was not sure she could survive losing any more family.

She eventually calmed down not only herself but her fellow servants as well by sitting on Merlin's bed and holding both of them close until the injured pair fell asleep against her. Merlin leaning on her shoulder and George on her lap. The weight of them grounded her, keeping her from losing herself to her despondent thoughts.

She stayed there for a long time, looking at the details of her friends' faces and hair that she had never noticed before. How George had pale freckles on his nose and chin, how he had a small burn scar on his cheek where he had been splashed by some kind of scaling liquid, or how his hair had strands of blonde mixed in with the brown. How Merlin had the early signs of wrinkles around her eyes and mouth from her constant smiles, how her hair was actually a very dark brown, not truly black as some seemed to believe, or how her mouth was slightly crooked. She looked at those little details and several others until Gaius had her brother moved to his bed behind the screen and dismissed the guards helping him.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

He did what he could for the young knight. He slowed the bleeding with herbs and stitches, he used potions and pastes to ward off infection, and doused the boy with draughts for his pain and to keep him asleep. Now, it was up to Elyan.

Even if he managed to avoid infection, there was still damage to Elyan's abdominal obliques, abdominis, sartorius, and iliopsoas muscles. If he was very lucky, he would only feel pain from his scars in his old age when there was bad weather, but that sort of recovery was about as likely as the late king Uther walking into the room. Given the state of the blade when it inflicted the wound and the amount of debris he had been forced to flush from the injury, even after the extensive amount of bleeding that had occurred, infection was all but inevitable.

Explaining that to his sister has been painful. Especially given the way she was clinging to his other patients, her friends, as if they were only things keeping her together. He tried to be optimistic, but he refused to give her false hope that her brother would heal back to how he had been.

Elyan was very likely to survive, but the quality of his life after this was what was in question. Given his injuries, he would presumably have to give up being an active knight. He would still be able to tend to his father's forge if his body healed expectedly. A task such as mounting a steed for a patrol would not be easy or at all comfortable given the muscles damaged.

Poor Gwen nodded and pulled the sleeping pair closer. If she did not come to terms with her brother's wounds relatively soon, Gaius knew he could easily have a 4th patient on his hands. He had faith it would not come to that though.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Arthur watched from the ramparts until the party escorting his uncle were out of sight. He wanted to check in on Elyan's condition, but he also did not want to disturb Gaius while he tended the knight. Hopefully, he had waited long enough.

On his way to the physician chambers, he thought about how things would be if Elyan had won the fight, if Agravaine had succeeded in killing Elyan, and if Elyan had fought until Agravaine had capitulated. In a way, this could possibly be the best outcome of the whole situation, but that was only if Elyan lived through it. As harsh as that sounded, it was the truth.

If Elyan had won the fight, killing the lord, there would have been an outcry from the outlying nobles and those supportive of the traitor. Elyan's death would be a blow to the reputation of Camelot's knights and shatter the spirits of his family and friends. Agravaine yielding would have meant he would be sent to Caerleon, which would not have been viewed as fair by many, some thinking it too lax while others saw it as too harsh. None of them show Camelot as favorable as what had played out. With his uncle winning without killing his opponent, his banishment to Annis' land could be taken as further punishment or leniency, but not as a weakness. It was a good thing.

Or so he thought until he saw the state of Guinevere and heard Gaius' diagnosis. There was still a chance of losing him to infection, but they would almost definitely lose his services as a knight outside of training others, strategy meetings, and weapon management. It was hard news to take, but choice did the king have?

He had lost men before and would in the future. This was just more personal than most. Elyan was a close friend, brother to the woman he loved, and an important part of Merlin's and the knights' lives. Losing him would weigh on Arthur especially because he had been the one to decide he was the right person to challenge his uncle.

He tried to comfort his love, but she seemed too lost to even notice his as she stared at her brother laying on the bed and clung to the sleeping forms of George and Merlin. He even offered to stay with the four of them while Gaius informed the Council of Sir Elyan's condition. He was oddly relieved when the physician turned down the offer saying George's sister was going to be staying and helping out until the servants were on their feet again.

When he met her later that day, Arthur offered to pay the woman, but relented to allowing her a nearby room for the extent of her stay as payment for her help. He admired her ability to hold her argument steady against the King of Camelot all while keeping her toddler from grabbing things it ought not. She was like a younger, slightly more assertive Hunith and she was just what was needed to drive the gloom in Gaius chambers out.


	12. Friends and Family

Jeanne was not at all what Leon had expected. George was quiet and very respectful and one would think that his sister would at least be similar, but she really wasn't. She never raised her voice, but the look in her eyes with her body language made you feel like she had. She was not afraid to speak up for herself or others and was a bit outspoken.

When he heard about her, the knight had pictured a tall, slim brunette with stern features, but in front of him was a blonde of average height with a soft caring face, who looked like she wrestled bulls or ran a forge for a living given she was so broad at the shoulders. She had the perfect hips for her 6 month old, Ruth, to sit on, and waist far narrower than one would think for someone with such a young child. She was the embodiment of a barmaid from one of Gwaine's stories and Leon was having a hard time believing she was real.

She had had walked into the room, handed Ruth to Gaius, and pulled Gwen into a hug. That seemed to be just what the poor woman needed to allow her to let out her pent up emotions. Jeanne held her until she cried herself out, then sent her to bed. Leon's mouth had nearly fallen open when Gwen smiled and agreed.

At one point, the baby ended up in his arms and the knight had to focus entirely on her for fear she would fall if he shifted his attention for even a moment. He stayed like that until she soiled her napkin and her mother whisked her away. That was when the man noticed how much had changed while he had been occupied.

Both Merlin and George were now on Gaius' bed, the privacy screen was folded and stored in the corner. Merlin's cot was no longer in the room, so presumably it had been returned to the storage room that served as the maid's bedroom. Elyan was on the patient mattress between the fireplace and the herb bench, flanked by chairs, likely for Gwen and whoever was tending him.

The fact that he had missed all of that happening helped foster the unearthly feeling he had about George's older sister. True, the child had kept him engrossed, but surely he would have heard the beds being rearranged, the screen being moved, or the patients being transferred. It was eery that he had not noticed any of it.

When she descended from Merlin's room, she was no longer in the dress she had been wearing earlier, but was now in a shirt and trousers. Then he realized he knew her. She was one of the carpenters in the lower town! The light-haired knight felt a blush forming on his skin as recalled some of his comments about her when he had not known she was a woman.

"He is a pretty man."

"I wonder if he has a wife and if he does, which of the two is fairer."

"That fellow should have been born a woman."

No wonder Merlin had always fallen into a giggle fit. She had known he was talking about Jeanne and never corrected him. He just hoped she hadn't told anyone outside of the knights about his comments.

"Ah, you figured it out. It is easier to get a woodworker's wage if they think you are a man. I am sure my baby brother mentioned me dressing as a man. He usually brings it up when he talks about how he met." Leon could only shake his head in denial.

"I doubt he spoke much to any of the knights. He is shy around them when not dealing with his servant duties." Leon silently thanked Gaius for shifting the conversation so that he did not have to speak.

"Merls would have kept it quiet so she could watch them make fools of themselves. That girl is too good for him." It was nice to know Merlin was liked by her beau's family.

"They balance each other out." The lightness of the physician's voice seemed to dampen the woman's energy as she placed her daughter on the floor.

"That bonfire of a lass with my wet blanket brother… It is hard to believe anyone would want to hurt them. Gwenny either. I just wish I could see what that Queen does to the turd when she gets her hands on him." So that was why she had turned somber.

"He will pay for his crimes, of that I am sure." The knight was faintly surprised at the dark feeling the elderly man had put into his words.

"I'm not doubting it, but we are paying too. Geor-geor had told me stories about the man, Merls and Gwenny too. We all knew he was a bad egg and let him fester. If the king had known earlier, then none of this might of happened. Old Uther might still be kicking if we had. But we kept our peckers pinched and the king lost his father, Merlin was nearly killed several times over, George and Guinevere got hurt, and now the lot of them could lose Elyan too." Just how long had they known Agravaine was a traitor?

"We couldn't have know these things would happen, Joanne." The woman scoffed and retrieved her child from where she had scooted herself under the table.

Leon wanted to leave when she turned to him with a pinched expression. "Could you hold Rue for a moment? I think I tweaked something moving Elyan that last time. He is heavier than he looks and I lifted him at that angle."

He took the girl and listened as Gaius shuffled over to her, never taking his eyes off the babe. "Let me see. It is a good thing you are not going to need to lift anything else today. I did warn you of pulled muscles working so hard before and after Ruth's birth."

"We needed the money after George being sick for so long. Besides, no one would have understood why John the carpenter had been gone so long. They weren't too big or heavy jobs. This has been acting up since before Aaron passed." Had Aaron been her husband?

"Ah. Let me get you some liniment. It is likely from when you dislocated your shoulder." As Gaius shuffled again, the child let out a massive squeal of delight and made grabby hands off towards Merlin, who was awake and making faces at Ruth when the knight looked up.

"Your awake. I guess I should earn my stay." Leon was mildly surprised when the little girl was snatched from him by her mother.

"But your *cough* -oulder." Jeanne dumped the babe in Merlin's lap with an eye roll.

"That cough is why I am here, silly goose. Sit up Merls, we are getting that bile out." The knight watched from his spot by the door as the blonde reclaimed her daughter and helped the maid to the bench and put a pail in front of her.

"Do you want your friend to watch or would you feel better if he stood outside?" As she said this, Jeanne handed Ruth to Gaius.

"Leon has seen me at worse, *cough* 'Anne. Just warn him first."

"That would take the fun out of it."

"We have all been thr- *cough* -nough."

*"Alright bonfire." The woman ruffled Merlin's hair playfully and then turned to him. "I am going to help her cough out the phlegm in her chest. It is going to look like I am slapping and shaking her. That is almost true. Just watch and stay quiet."

She didn't even wait for his response before patting Merlin's shoulders in a rough, alternating pattern. After a few minutes, she stopped, but started jiggling both sides of the maid's upper body as the brunette exhaled. On the 3rd breath, the maid coughed up a chunk of greenish-grey slime. The carpentress repeated this on Merlin's upper back and chest, before having her lay on the bench where her sides and lower back received the same treatment, resulting in more mucus than the knight had thought possible. After that, Ruth was handed back to her mother.

Gaius assisted Merlin back to a seated position and pressed his ear to her back. The guardian and ward spoke to each other, but they were too quiet to be heard over the happy baby noises. After a few moments, Merlin was given a cup of what looked like thin tea before Gaius reclaimed the infant and her mother went back to work.

A set of steps was pulled out of a nook in the back of the physician's library, laid on the bench to form two steep angles, a pillow was placed on the longer decline, then Merlin, who had finished her drink, laid down on the contraption with her head being lower than her hips. When it was clear she could not keep herself in that position, Leon was called over to help hold her in place. Then the rhythmic thumping followed by jostling started again.

Never had the knight expected his pseudo-sister to have had that much sludge in her lungs and still be able to breath. Actual water had come up when she had been on her stomach, in the downward tilted position. How she had survived all of that boggled Leon's mind.

Having coughed herself into exhaustion, Merlin was given some broth to drink before being put back to bed. She was out within a minute. Despite her breathing deepening, she no longer had the slight wheezing sound to it.

"Thank you." Gaius said, handing the squirming child to her mother. "Heaven knows I would not have been able to keep up such a pace for long enough to treat her."

A mixture of a chuckle and a scoff escaped the woman. "That was restful compared to shingling a roof. I am just glad we can all worry a little bit less now that we know she can breath easier. If only Elyan and George were that simple to help."

Leon was in complete agreeance with the physician when he said, "So do I."

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

George woke to the smell of sawdust and soured milk and knew who was there. 'Anne had smelt like that since Ruth was born and it would make sense after what he had seen with Elyan and Gwen. But if his sister was here, why couldn't he hear his niece who was often loud enough to wake the dead?

A squirming feeling against his chest reminded him of what woke him up. He had a warm wet patch on his stomach that was rapidly cooling. Mix the two and he knew why his niece was quiet. She was asleep on the bed with him and had soaked through her nappy.

Peeling his eye open, George saw that Ruth was cuddled between himself and Merlin. Why the two of them were together was overshadowed by fact that his sister had put her baby between them as if she was a **bundling board. What next? Courting sticks?

Squinting to see in the darkness, George noticed the three of them were in Gaius's bed. He looked around, spotting Elyan in bad by the smouldering coals of the fire, Gaius asleep in the chair by the knight's bedside, but no Jeanne. In the corner by the door, a shadow moved.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Percival had been assigned 3rd watch over his injured brother-in-arms. The king had been the one to assign shifts and had taken the first himself. Leon had been next, staying until midnight. Now Percival was standing guard by the door.

Everyone but Gaius and Leon had been asleep when he arrived. Elyan was starting to show signs of a fever, Merlin's breathing sounded better as she slept by George was holding onto his niece in his sleep, and the servant's mysterious sister was apparently sleeping up in Merlin's room.

The physician had only been asleep a few minutes when George started to stir. It was hard to tell if he was actually awake in the darkness, even with his eyes being adjusted to the low light. He moved a step closer, causing the poor fellow to flinch in the bed, which lead to whimpers from the baby.

Percival took a step back and then the door to Merlin's room opened. A figure came down the stairs, went over to and added wood to the fire, checked on Elyan, then went to the unhappy babe. At the kindling and logs caught and burned, light filled the room, giving the man a clear view of a familiar figure.

He had known Jeanne for a few years. She and her husband had been very helpful in rebuilding the town after the witches had damaged it, taking over the kingdom. He had helped the two of them replace training dummies. They were great friends. He had been one of the people who had helped her out when Aaron died in a bandit skirmish while she was heavily pregnant.

He hadn't seen her since a few weeks after funeral. He had been sent on a long patrol when the baby had come and had not wanted to intrude when he returned. After that, they just never seemed to see each other. Until now.

"Perc!" She seemed to catch herself before she got too loud, "It has been a while."

Percival nodded. She smiled a sad smile and whisked the child off to clean her up. Looking over at George, the blonde smiled.

He walked over to the man and whispered, "Want help getting out of that wet shirt?" when he received a quiet "Yes." he continued, "Do you want to get back at your sister for the her courting plan?" to which he received a weak, but impish smile.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Gaius only slightly regretted inviting Jeanne and Ruth into his home. She was a very helpful woman, but her ploy to further George and Merlin's relationship had lead to a prank war. On the other hand, the positive atmosphere had helped when Elyan woke up.

His pain was severe, but watching the antics of those around him seemed to make it much more manageable and kept him from wanting to move about, as he had the best vantage point for the show. If only it helped with his ever growing fever.

His stitches had been removed to release infection, but the fever was persistent and worsening. His side was red, warm, and swollen. None of the usual herbs seemed to have any effect and the longer this lasted, the less likely he would recover without serious consequences.

The best chance he had was with Merlin's help, but she was only just healing herself. She was improving with continued breathing and coughing exercises, but her shoulder was still swollen and tender from her encounter with the bandits. Her and Elyan were worse off than George.

Since the drugs had left his system, he had some damage to his jaw, hands, and a slight concussion, but nothing that was too pressing. He had some trouble holding his spoon and had a slight issue hearing some sounds from his injured ear, but otherwise he was free to return home. But with his sister staying here to help Merlin and his house was empty, so he was staying to help.

Merlin seemed to sleep better and longer with him nearby. She seemed to wake up if he left the room for more than a few minutes. When he went home to get a few things for his continued stay, she had woken up and coughed nearly the entire he was gone. She had fallen asleep within moments of him returning to her side.

If this continued, Gaius would not be surprised if they were married by the end of the year. It was as if they were making up for missed time. They were not overly affectionate, but their love was obvious.

Similarly, Arthur and Gwen had become closer now that Agravaine was not whispering disparagement in the king's ear. They too could announce their upcoming nuptials and no one would be surprised. It seemed love was in the air. If he didn't know them, one would think Jeanne and Percival were a couple, but the knight had a beau in the kitchens and the carpentress was still grieving her husband's death almost 8 months ago.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

 

*That was a variation of the Clap and Vibrate PT for people who have Cystic fibrosis, recently inhaled water, or recently had pneumonia. Special thanks to The Frey Life for their video on this kind of PT.*

**Bundling, or tarrying, is the traditional practice of wrapping two people in a bed together, usually as a part of courting behavior. The tradition is thought to have originated either in the Netherlands or in the British Isles and later became common in colonial United States, especially in Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

It is possible the precedent for bundling came from the biblical story of Ruth and Boaz, in which Ruth, a young widow, and Boaz, an older wealthy landowner, spend a night together in a grain storage room while not touching; the pair later get married.

Traditionally, participants were adolescents, with a boy staying at the residence of the girl. They were given separate blankets by the girl's parents and expected to talk to one another through the night. Occasionally a bundling board or bundling sack was placed between the boy and girl to discourage sexual conduct.

-from the Wikipedia article "Bundling (tradition)"**


	13. Captured

Life was slowly returning to normal for Arthur now that his treacherous Uncle was in the hands of Queen Annis and the fear of Elyan losing his life had passed. He received encouragement from the injured knight to woo Guinevere, Merlin was getting better by the day, and he had received word that Agravaine had arrived in Caerleon without issue. It had been shaping up to be a wonderful day until he was informed of who was at the main gate.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Hunith arriving at the Gate of Camelot was not something anyone had been expecting, but no one was surprised by. Her being angry at everyone but George, was startling. Her locking Leon and Jeanne in Merlin's room and telling them they were to work out their emotions and not to wake her daughter trying to escape, was a bit shocking. Or at least to everyone but George himself.

Seeing as he was the one to write her about what had happened to Merlin, himself, Gwen and Elyan, mentioned that she had likely heard all of it from Gaius, Gwen, Merlin, the king, and the knights, and noted that Loen and his sister were smitten on each other, but too worried about propriety to do anything since her husband had been dead less than a year, he had this planned from the beginning. He was getting revenge on Gaius, Gwen and his sister, permission to court Merlin from Hunith, and watching her give the cold shoulder to everyone was entertaining from both himself and Elyan. The only downside was that Merlin could sleep just as well as with her mother there ss she did when he was.

Extra time away from his beau meant he had time to focus on his plans for the future. He had cleaned out his mother's home and was ready for Merlin to move in after they were married. That was what he was planning with Gaius when the men arrived and knocked them both unconscious with a spell.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Alator of the Catha had made a deal with the last High Priestess of the Triple Goddess, he was to capture the physician and find the true name and location of her enemy. Her informant was supposed to let them into the city, but he had been discovered and banished. This slowed their plans, but did not stop them. It took time to find the outer doors to the tunnels under the city, but persistence and patience were virtues the Catha valued.

Once inside the walls, their task was simple. Collect Gaius the physician spirit him away for questioning. They watched his schedule and planned on taking him after his patients and assistant were asleep, but when they arrived, there was someone else in the room and both were awake.

Both turned to see who was entering, but luckily, neither called out before they were restrained and spelled to sleep. Getting two people out of Camelot was harder than just one, but not difficult. A simple spell hid their trail to and from the city. When they were gone, there would be no following them.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

The feeling of being carried was the first thing the physician recalled. Opening his eye, he saw the back of the guard who carried him over his shoulder. Soon enough, the man laid Gaius on a slanted slab of rock where he squirmed, eyes firmly shut.

"You've had a difficult journey. You must be tired. It's time to wake up." Gaius fights back a cringe as Morgana strokes his cheek and instead, fakes waking. "It's time for the fun to begin."

When Gaius found he couldn't move, he opened his eyes and spoke to her. "Get on with it, Morgana. Whatever you want to do, just do it now. I'm not afraid to die."

"Dying is the easy part. I wouldn't be in such a hurry if I were you. My friend here's going to help me get some information." Gaius looked at Morgana's quiet companion for the first time. "Some information you might be a little reluctant to give. I want you to tell me where the old man Emrys is."

"I don't know any man called Emrys." Oddly enough, it was the truth.

"Oh, I think you do". He knew Emrys, but she was no man.

The stared into her eyes and replied, "Do what you will. I will never tell you anything, Morgana."

"Alator is no ordinary torturer. He's a Catha...priest of the Old Religion. He has at his disposal some skills only known by initiates. But you're a learned man, Gaius. I'm sure you know exactly what he can do." Morgana was starting to leave when the guard brought in George.

"What do we have here? Merlin's little shadow. I think I am going to have fun with you. Maybe then she will know better than to meddle with my plans." Gaius felt a deep seated panic rise in him at the idea of George in Morgana's hands.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Back in Camelot, the absence of the court physician was soon felt. Rounds left uncompleted, wounds not tended, appointments missed. People came from the town asking for the medicines not delivered, leaving Merlin to hand out tonics and draughts while trying not to crumple into a coughing heap. Arthur had the knights and guards searching for Gaius, but by the time Merlin had tended to everyone who had shown up at her door, they had found no trace of him.

Thankfully, Hunith and Jeanne could tend Elyan and were able to sooth Merlin's cough and nerves, at least until noon. When George didn't show up by lunch, his love was not the only one worried. That was when it was discovered the Gaius was not the only person missing from Camelot.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

George woke to the sound of water dripping. Muscles twitched, letting him know he was tied to a pole or pillar and he had been there long enough for him to grow stiff. Given his last memory was someone sneaking into the room and a whispered spell, he assumed he has been taken prisoner, likely by Morgana's men.

As if drawn by her name in his thoughts, the priestess strode into the room with her head held high and a smile on her face. She looked horrible with her hair matted into a nest worthy of the largest rats in Camelot, tattered dress that looked like it had been stolen off an elderly widows corpse, and her skin crusted with grime and things George didn't want to know what were. Her eyes shone with madness and glee, not matching her outward appearance at all.

"George, it has been awhile." he knew better than to respond and her grin grew when he pressed his mouth closed. "I see she gives better instructions than she follows."

Morgana didn't have to say who she was referring to, they both knew. "My lady," was all the acknowledgement she was going to get from him.

"She prattled unless asleep or distracted. Hardly a good quality for a servant, wouldn't you say?" She didn't seem perturbed at all by his silence.

Morgana walked around him, trailing a finger across his body as she did so. The man barely kept himself from flinching, shivering, or shuddering at her touch. When she came around in front of him she had this sad look mixed it with her earlier emotions.

"I once thought Merlin the heart to love everyone she met. Then you came into into her life. As she started to train you, she started to pull away from me. She is only able to care about five people at a time, I see that now." She drug her finger up and down the lacing holding his shirt closed, face drawn into a frown.

"Once it had been Me, Arthur, Gwen, Gaius and her mother. Then you came along. She had to remove someone for you to fit and she chose me. After that, she started pushing me away, bit by bit. The druids, the troll, the witchfinder, meeting my late sister, Alvarr, then she poisoned me." A small gasp left him, which stole the sorceress's attention.

As a hateful smile replaced her frown, George started feeling around for a sharp edge to cut his binds or the candle trimming blade he had been using before he went to Gaius. The blade was small and needed sharpening, but it would be helpful. He needed to get himself and likely Gaius out of this place before Morgana took her anger at Merlin out on the both of them.

She moved her finger slowly from his chest, to just beneath his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes. "Did she not tell anyone how she used our friendship to trick me into drinking from a poisoned waterskin, how she forced me stay still as I choked for air, trapping me in her arms, how she faked tears so that I would forgive her when I was returned to Camelot a year later? No? Pity."

As she dropped her hand and turned her back to him, George found that his candle trimmer was gone, but there was a sharp edge and chip out of the wooden support he was lashed to. He had a way to get free. And the priestess was unaware of it as she left the chamber.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

The heat was torture, but the enchanted questions were worse. "Tell me about Emrys. Tell me, Gaius. Where can we find Emrys?"

Gaius tried not to speak, but couldn't help himself, due to the spell the priest had placed on him. "In Camelot."

"Where in Camelot?" Alator pressed, but Gaius did not reply.

He was able to keep from answering that since he wasn't entirely sure where she was. For all he knew, Gwen had her and Hunith living in her and Elyan's home or Jeanne jad moved her future sister-in-law to her or George's homes. The spell could not make him respond when he was not sure of the answer.

As if possessed, words began to flow from the physician's mouth without permission. "Emrys is- Emrys is a name by given the druids, but to me...I know Emrys by a different name."

"Tell me, Gaius." The Catha sounded more curious than determined.

He started to form Merlin's name, but stopped himself. "No!"

Alator places his cool hands on Gaius, to strengthen the spell the physician assumed. "Who is Emrys?"

"Th- the is the most powerful wizard who has ever lived." The truth eased him pain and discomfort somewhat, but it was only a half answer.

"What is his name?" The flames seemed to be in his very blood, burning away his control.

"Her name...is…" Gaius struggled not to finish his sentence, but failed. "Merlin."

Gaius was so lost in his despair over having broken down under the torture that he missed the look of shock on Alator's face. He he seem it, he likely would have realized he had let it slip that Emrys, the most powerful magician to ever exist was not a male as assumed, but a female. That alone was as bad as saying her name in the eyes of the physician.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Gwaine followed his king to the Physician's chambers, accidently waking Merlin from a nap she had sorely needed when they opened the door. Hunith was sitting by Elyan who was thankfully still asleep and Jeanne was holding her bubbly babe. Gwen was supisciously absent, or the knight had thought so until he heard a soft snore coming from Merlin's room up the stairs.

"We haven't found any sign of George or Gaius. Both were last seen here by a servant on her way home. They were not seen leaving the city, but we have found of them inside either." Gwaine watched the hopeful shine fade from his little sister's eyes at Arthur's words.

"We will keep looking Merls." His words gained him a slight smile, but the light was still gone.

The broad woman seemed to have noticed the maid's melancholy, because she deposited Ruth into her lap, letting the infant cheer her up. "So what is the plan then?"

They discussed search patterns, patrol routes, and guard rotations. None of it would help if the missing men were further off than the forest, but it was a start. They talked until the little girl whined for her mother.

Jeanne reclaimed her child then focused on the reddish-brown smear left behind on Merlin's arm. "What this that? Is her nappy soiled?

Merlin held up her dirty sleeve and examined it. "I don't know. I think its dirt?"

Gwaine got up to look at it. "Here. Let me see." Merlin held out her arm and he took a swipe of the dirt and smelled it.

A strange look crossed his face. "Was it actually from Ruth's nappy instead of dirt?"

He shook his head. "That's iron ore. Where'd she find this?"

"It looks like Ruth got it on her from the table leg, right here." Arthur said, crouched down by the table, rubbing some of the ore from its leg between his fingers. "Iron ore's rare in Camelot."

The two knights shared a look before Gwaine added to the King's words. "Personal, I've only seen it once, on a patrol."

"Where?" Merlin's voice was raspy, but strong.

"Er…" Her tone distracted Gwaine from her question for a moment, but he quickly put him mind on the right track. "Ridge of Kemeray. They've been hewing iron from rocks there for hundreds of years."

Straightening up, Arthur met his eyes, "Gather the knights, we have Merlin's and Ruth's uncles to find."

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

It felt like forever that he had been telling the whole life story of his niece, but it was slowly coming to a conclusion. "For the druids' legends are true. Merlin is...Emrys. A woman destined for greatness. woman who will one day unite the powers of the old world and the new, and bring the time that the poets speak of. The time...of Albion."

Gaius felt the fires fade out and with them, his ability to stay awake. He hoped his words had changed the Catha's heart from hating Arthur and Merlin's alternate name, Emrys. He was of no help now and he hoped he hadn't just doomed them all.


	14. Reunited

It took too long to wearout the rope enough to get free. He needed to get out before Morgana came back. His wrists were raw and bloody, but after the damage from his fight with the assassin, this was manageable.

He needed to get away. He had no idea where he was, but he needed to get to Camelot and send knights back here to capture the witch. He was fairly sure Gaius had been taken too, but he didn't want to risk being caught looking for him.

Luckily for George, he found Gaius while looking for the exit. He only barely began to try getting the old man's bindings removed when he was flung across the room. Looking up, he saw he had been right to worry about Morgana's return.

"You really are just as much a thorn in my side as Merlin, aren't you?" Morgana pulled out a dagger from her dress and continued. "When will you two learn not to meddle with things you couldn't possibly understand? Maybe I will use you as an example for that meddling wench." She threw the dagger and controlled it, levitating it to point at George's throat as he scampered backwards on the muddy, red ground. "It's difficult, isn't it? When there are so many different and painful ways for me to be finally rid of her by hurting you."

"I don't care what you do to me and neither will Merlin. She would want to know what you've done to Gaius and so do I." Oddly enough, he wasn't really scared of Morgana and her dagger, mainly because he could feel the caring caress of magic in the chamber, but he wasn't sure where it was coming from.

"Well, Gaius had some information I needed. The whereabouts of the sorcerer Emrys. If he gave it to me willingly, his suffering would not be prolonged, but...if he did not…" Morgana trailed off with a smirk.

"So you have harmed him…" Anger was rising in the darkest parts of the servant.

The witch did not seem to notice the comforting magic or his smouldering rage. "Why are we discussing his fate when it's time to decide yours? Not whether you're going to die alone here in this godforsaken place. That's gonna happen anyway. But how. Or more precisely, how painfully."

That was when the source of the compassionate magic entered the room. It was a bald man in a robe, holding a staff. He looked like a soldier who had turned to religion to find closure for the things he had done and seen. It was something George had seen before in some of the older knights and guards.

"Ah, Alator. This is George." This Alator seemed surprised by this and looked more closely at him. "He's just a serving boy, but he's best friends with the most troublesome serving girl I've ever known. I take it your time with Gaius was fruitful?"

Alator sent a odd look at Morgana before responding, "Gaius told me everything."

George continued to look at Alator as Morgana asked, "So you know who Emrys is?"

At the words, "Indeed I do." George's blood chilled.

Alator walked forward, past the priestess, and Morgana follows a few steps behind, likely desperate for his answer. Alator knelt down and looked George in the eye. George stared at him in confusion because the caring feeling was increased and felt protective.

"Not only do I know who Emrys is, I know exactly where they are." It was clear to the servant that this Alator really did know and was hiding the fact that she was a female to protect her from the priestess.

George turned his focus from the man in front of him to Morgana as her eyes went wide with eagerness. "Then tell me."

Alator turned to look at her with his eyes burning with fatherly protectiveness. "Never." Alator was standing and was pointing his staff at Morgana before George could react. "Forþ fleoge!"

Morgana screamed as she was thrown backwards against a rock and collapsed unconscious. The dagger at George's throat dropped to the ground as she did so and George wasted no time scrambling to his feet. His wrists throbbed from using them, but he ignored the pain as he turned to face his unlikely savior.

"George, I am Alator of the Catha. I am honoured to be of service to Emrys's paramour." George blinked a few times at the implications all of this had and then nodded his thanks.

Another man walked into the room and Alator spoke quickly to him in a language George did not understand. Nods were exchanged and the newcomer began freeing Gaius from his bonds. When he was free, the new, nameless man helped the elderly physician sit up and drink what appeared to be water, despite the poor fellow not being entirely conscious.

When George was handed waterskin too, he looked over and saw Alator eyeing him worriedly, like a father checking his child for injuries after a scare. The servant took a took a swig of water to satisfy his new protector/ acquaintance, before pouring some over his blood and mud smeared raw wrists to wash away the filth. It needed better tending, but that could wait until after he and Gaius were safely back in Camelot.

Finding his voice, George spoke to Alator for the first time. "Thank you for your help. I need to get Gaius back to Camelot, do you know far it is from where ever here is?"

He received a tiny bit of a smile from the Catha that feels patronizing. "You needn't worry about the where or distance. Knights ride this way as we speak. When you return, tell Emrys the Catha are hers."

George nodded despite his confusion and claimed Gaius from the other Catha. He followed them to the exit of the tunnel system and watched as they vanished into the hills like snakes in grass. As he stepped out into the dusk, he heard the horses approaching.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

The knights arrived at the Ridge of Kemeray just in time to see George help Gaius stumble out of the mining tunnels. The physician was clearly worse off than the servant, but the raw wounds around the boy's wrists was proof that neither of them were unscathed. This upset Leon more than he would care to admit and looking at Arthur and the other knights, it was clear he wasn't the only one.

They didn't have time to worry too much about the pair when they learned Morgana had been behind their abduction and that she had been in the cavern Gaius had been held in when one of her enemies had helped them escape. They searched the entire tunnel system, including the rooms both men had been bound up in, but they found no trace of the witch. They did find a dagger, one that matched George's description of the one Morgana had threatened him with.

When is was clear the sorceress had managed to escape them, Arthur called them back. Gaius had never fully regained consciousness, George was clearly exhausted, and it was fully dark out, so it would have done more harm than good to have pressed for the city by this point. Given this, they set up a camp in one of the other cave systems.

Somehow, Leon did not get guard duty, much to his surprise. He was however, in charge of tending to Gaius and George's injuries. Other than some minor bruises and scratches, all the servant had were the rope burn from where he escaped his bonds. Gaius was entirely different with his heat sickness, dehydration, burns, and what the knight assumed was stress from magical and mental torture.

Food and water seemed to help a lot, and given it was the first sustenance they had gotten since dinner the night they were abducted, that made sense. Some salve and bandages soothed their wounds enough that they were both deeply asleep before he finished tending to them. Leon was hopeful that they would much more alert come morning and he was only half right.

When they woke up just after sunrise, Gaius was finally awake, but still exhausted from the affect of the dehydration and heat, George was groggy and slightly feverish with warm, puffy looking wrists where infection was attempting to settle in. But given everything, the king pair both men up with a rider and a punishing pace was set to get them to the city as soon as possible. Leon was paired with Gaius.

Leon hoped it was only the heat sickness, but the physician was cold other his head and hands which were hot to the touch. Thankfully the poor man was able to sleep as they galloped towards Camelot. Hopefully it would all be sorted when they got back to the city.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Gwen met the returning search party in the courtyard at mid morning. At first she didn't see either of the missing men, but then she caught a glimpse of Gaius's silvery-white hair. When she saw George, she nearly cried with joy.

It wasn't until she saw the both of them were leaning on the people beside them that she realized something was wrong. Just like that, her joy dimmed and concern bloomed. They were back, but that didn't mean that they were unharmed.

She was a bit overzealous in getting the two escorted to the Physician's chambers, but she was worried about them and wanted to be sure they would be alright. She was already concerned that Elyan was never going to heal enough to continue as a Knight of Camelot, she did not want to hear that Gaius or George would have long lasting consequences from their kidnapping. The best way to make sure that didn't happen was to get them to Merlin and Hunith as quickly and carefully as possible.

The fact that seeing the two were back in one piece would help settle the nervous atmosphere in Gaius's rooms was an added benefit. Merlin would relax enough to finish healing, Hunith would cease her pacing, Jeanne would be able to rest peacefully, hopefully allowing Ruth to sleep through the night, Elyan could stop lamenting his inability to help in the search, and Gwen herself could calm down and enjoy them all being alive and together.

She barely entered the room before Hunith and Jeanne took control and Gwen found herself down at the pump in the courtyard collecting water. By the time she got back to the room, she was met with her brother being moved to a nearby room to give more space. She left her bucket of fresh, cold water with Gwaine and raced off to see where her brother was going to be staying.

Because of all of that, it was dinnertime before she was allowed to see Gaius and George. The physician was exhausted, dehydrated despite the water he had received from his rescuers, and suffering from intrusive magic on his mind that left his shaky and with stress to the nerves in his hands and head. George had a pretty bad fever from his infected raw wrists and because of it, he couldn't sleep in the same bed with Merlin since she was too warm to cuddle with someone fighting a fever, much to her dismay. This was apparently why Elyan had to move to a different room.

Once she saw for herself that they were all resting peacefully, including Merlin who was finally asleep after being up and about all day despite still being sick and weak, Gwen could let herself relax. They were home and on their way to healing. That was all she could hope for.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

George didn't know how or why, but he knew that his wrists were infected and found it fitting. So when he woke up achy with his lower arm and hand being puffy and feeling like they had been washing sheets in scalding hot water all night, he almost smiled that he was right, despite sir Leon saying the wounds were clean and showed no hint of inflammation. He knew it meant more time in Gaius's chambers with Merlin, so he was fine with being somewhat ill.

His head was cloudy and light as they rode for home, so it was all a blur to him when they reached the courtyard. He was fairly sure that he saw Gwen, but he was more focused on the hazy halo around people's heads and upper body. At least until he saw her.

Unlike everyone else, Merlin was in sharp focus. He could see the worry lines between her eyebrows and around her eyes, which he regretted putting there. She was beautiful either way with her expressive blue eyes, her wild hair that she never had time to comb properly, and her mouth, he loved her mouth. It was sassy, smart, caring, and held a wide variety of smiles, all of which he enjoyed seeing except her fake one she uses to hide her true feelings.

When she reached out to him, he clung to her. He didn't care that his sister wasn't being gentle with his puffy injuries, he had Merlin's heart by his ear and her hands in his hair. Completely comfortable where he was, he fell asleep mumbling contently without really thinking.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Merlin was relieved when she heard that Arthur was back and had Gaius and George with him, but the sight of them nearly enough to send her to tears of joy and sadness. They were home, but hurt. Mostly, she was worried and glad they were here so they could be taken care of.

Gaius was flushed and staggering in a dizzy fashion while leaning on Jeanne's arm. Merlin saw her mother hovering around them with Ruth in her arm, looking very much like a bee trying to pick a flower to land on. Knowing that he was in good hands, she looked to the man she loves.

George's eyes were glassy with fever, but the longing and recognition when locked eyes made Merlin's heart leap in her chest. She barely raised her arms out to him and took a step forward before he fell into them and planted his face just above her bosom. Not knowing what else to do, she half shushered, half carried him to her bed and sat them both down and beckoned Jeanne over to help while Gwaine helped her mother care for Gaius.

As the carpentress scrubbing bed off the scabs holding in the infection in his wrists, Merlin carded her fingers through his hair. It was oily and filled with dirt and dust, but she didn't care. It was a soothing act for both of them and they both needed it. George, because it surely hurt having a rough cloth like that scouring pus and debris from his raw skin, and Merlin, because she had been so worried and could see she was justified in having been so.

Once the wounds were cleaned out and salve was being applied, George started talking softly. Well, maybe mumbling was a better word for it. It was small things at first, how good her hands felt in his grungy mop, that he missed her, how he hoped Gaius was alright, then, right before falling asleep, he said,

"I love you. I hope you will marry me. Will you?"

Dumbstruck, she looked up from his sleeping head to see if his sister had heard the same thing she had. If the smug smirk was an indication, she had. A happy chuckle bubbled out of her.

"Of course I'll marry you. Just ask me again when you are awake."

She would have settled down in the bed with him and happily fallen asleep, but Jeanne spoiled the plan by pointing out his fever and having Gwaine help her get George to a different bed. Merlin knew she was pouting, but didn't care. She stayed that way throughout her betrothed getting his hair washed in cold water, him being changed into clean clothes, and up until she fell asleep watching him rest on the bed beside hers, just out of reach.


	15. Different Perspectives

'Healing takes time'

That old adage applied to people as well as nations. In the 6 months after sending his banished uncle to Caerleon, Elyan had mended enough to walk with only the aid of a cane, George had regained most of the hearing in his damaged ear and his mouth and hands were completely healed, and Merlin was bustling around at full health, free of the hacking cough that had plagued her for so long. During that time ties with Caerleon had strengthened and their rulers could nearly be called friends.

It was at the end of that half of a year that the news of the former lord's passing reached Camelot. After being stripped of all rank, he has been given the job of chamberman for barracks in Annis' castle. There, after months of the job, he passed out from fumes from the indoor latrine while cleaning it and asphyxiated.

There was no mourning his demise nor celebration of it, but there were those who breathed easier and slept sounder knowing he no longer shared the world with them. Two of such people were in dire need of that relief as their wedding approached. Never had those two slept as well as the night after learning the man who tried to sever their relationship before it full took root was dead. The fact it happened while doing a servant's job just made the rest they got all the sweeter.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Gwen was happily frazzled.

She had been so busy helping Elyan settle into his new role as Royal Armourer. Now that his injury was mostly healed, it was clear that he would never be able to return to his duties as a Camelot knight. That is why Arthur had given him a new job and title that he could complete with his new limitations without feeling useless or patronized.

She was helping Jeanne ready her and George's childhood home into a house that that the soon-to-be wed couple could live in without the dark memories that lingered from the passing of the former owner. Everyone knew, after that first month of healing, that George was haunted by his mother's lingering presence in the dwelling, so the Gwen and his sister took it upon themselves to change the house enough that it didn't pain the future groom pain being there. They were almost done and the wedding was less than a fortnight away.

She was also assisting in the wedding preparations with Merlin and Hunith. They were nearly finish since it was to be a relatively small event. It would be a few knights, some of their fellow servants, and family. All told, there were only about a score of people going to be in attendance.

Given everything she was doing, she felt justified in her tiredness. She ended each day worn out from all her work. Once her friends finally married, all but her work with Elyan would be done. Then she would truly get to rest.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Arthur was flustered. He had been asked by Hunith to preside over George and Merlin's wedding. This would only be the second wedding he had conducted and he was a bit nervous to be over his maid's.

What if he said the wrong thing and their marriage was not really legal? What if he jinxed their relationship? What if he was the reason their marriage was one day annulled?

"I know that look, sire. You are overthinking something. My I ask what?"

The king and lead knight talked throughout their entire sparring session, the the midday meal, and at least an hour afterwards. He had been opening up more and more to his old friend since Merlin's disappearance during that unfortunate skirmish where he failed to help her. She had been gone or hurt most of the time since, so he had turned to Leon for a willing ear. Now, he was very glad he had.

"She will be a wife soon, so it is good you have more than just her for support. She will always be there for you, but you need to know that she isn't the only one. We are a family. An unusual one, but a family nevertheless."

By the end of their conversation, he was much less worried about ruining the wedding and the two of them had written up what he needed to say so it could be practiced. Oddly enough, each of his friends, less Merlin and Gwen, said much the same. It was just what he needed to make the servants' marriage perfect.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Merlin felt like she was floating. Her wedding was nearing and with Agravaine gone she was happier than ever. She had no reason not to be.

Elyan was safe in his new job, one he wouldn't have trouble completing, unlike his former duties a Knight of Camelot. And then there was George, who was healing mentally as well physically. Arthur and the knights were growing closer and opening up to each other.

Her friends were giving her the space she needed to strengthen her bond with George and his remaining family, her future family. She loved Ruth to tiny pieces. She had always had a weakness for children, especially ones as cute and playful as her fiancé's niece.

She was forming a life away from Arthur, magic, and her destiny. It wasn't something she was born to do, but that just made it all the more precious. It hers and hers alone.

She found out after George proposed that he had known about her magic for years, so she didn't have to hide anything from him. That freed her to show him a part of herself that very few others had ever seen. Her powers didn't scare or intimidate him, they only seemed to deepen their bond, allowing her to fall deeper in love than she had ever been with Will or Lancelot. It was wonderful and beautiful.

Soon, she would marry the only person to truly understand her, other than her mother and uncle. She would also be ending her apprenticeship with Gaius, being a midwife and herbalist in town when not serving her king. And one day, she hoped to raise a clutch of children, free of persecution for her and, possibly, her children.

Her future looked so bright. All she had was Morgana, and possibly Mordred, against her, while she had Arthur, the knights, Camelot, the druids, and even the Catha on her side. She wasn't alone in her fight anymore, and everything was lighter with others to help share the burden.

For the first time since she first met George, she felt young and carefree.

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

George was in a bit of a panic. He was going to marry the girl he had loved since they met all those years ago at the city gates, a powerful warlock/witch who was destined to help her king reunite the Five Kingdoms, in less than a fortnight! He was not ready for this.

She was too kind, good, powerful, and loyal for him. He was the only son of two nobodies, but she was the daughter of a Dragonlord, who had been a high noble. He was a failed metalsmith apprentice and servant, she was Emrys, the Last Dragon-lady?, friend of Camelot's king and finest knights. Who was he to court her?

He loved her, but so did Lancelot and Will. They had hurt her so badly when they died for her and he knew he would likely do the same one day. His life was nothing compared to his, so he would not hesitate to trade his life for hers. He just wished he could do it without making her cry.

He had caused too many tears already with his fight with the assassin and then being kidnapped with Gaius by Morgana and the Catha. His injuries from both incidents had scared her badly. Over the past year, he had been nothing but a source of worry for her.

Now, he was going to legally bind himself to her, trapping her in a marriage with him. She would never leave him, she was too loyal for that, so he would always be a shackle holding her back. He would selfishly keep her close because he didn't know what he would do without her.

She had disrupted her usual schedule and patterns the past few months to make the transition easier, but he felt like she was only doing it because he was the first man to try to court her. She had a connection with him, Jeanne and Ruth, but the same could be said for half the city and a great number of others all across Albion. The only thing he had that the rest didn't was the knowledge of her power, but that was no reason for her to marry him.

In just a few days he was going to allow her to bind herself to him, despite knowing that there was someone out there more suitable for her than him. He was that selfish because he loved her that much. So much in love that he was tempted to call the whole thing off so she could be free, but something always stopped him.

Once, it had been her crying that her father wasn't alive to give her away. Another, she just looked so happy to see him that he didn't have the heart to tell her his fears. Many times he had been about to say something and she kissed his worries away from a time.

He knew he needed another set of eyes on the issue, but everyone was so busy. Jeanne, Hunith, and Gaius were out of the question because they were too close to problem to see clearly. Gwen was too busy, the king and Percival had a skewed view of it all, and Elyan was too unobservant to be much help. That only left one person...

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

Gwaine was having the time of his life watching his friends. Percy and the Potter's daughter he had been seeing had been helping Jeanne ready George's house, watch Ruth, and cook. Elyan working hard to get the forge up and running with Gwen and Leon's assistance. Gwen was overworking, as usual, to help anyone and everyone. Arthur was teetering between panic and preparedness. Merlin was too in love to see much more than she expected to see. Then there was poor George.

That poor fellow had a clear case of melancholia, but no one really seemed to notice. After talking with him about his fears, the knight found out it was much deeper a problem than he had first thought. The future groom needed help, and he had been chosen to be the one to do it.

Not being a physician, he steered clear of using herbs and medicines to help the man and tried other things. He talked with George, hearing out his fears, and pointed out small facts that did not fall into line with the servant's view of the issue. When he learned that George had tweaked his back from trying not to burden his fiancé, the knight all but forced the injured man to let him check the muscles for damage.

This lead to poking and rubbing of the area. That was when the rogue discovered that touching in that manner really helped clear George's head and allowed him to think more clearly. That was when Gwaine came to the conclusion that most of this melancholia would fade after the two of them consummated their marriage. He would always be a willing ear for the man, but hopefully being with his wife would all he really needed.

Until they finally got to that point, Gwaine would continue to keep George as level headed as he could. If it meant long discussions about brass and metalwork, fine. If it meant massaging the stress from his back, he wouldn't complain. If it meant just being there as an understanding presence, he would do it happily.

Merlin needed George just as much as he needed her. Anyone with eyes could see it when the two were near each other. They were opposites that balanced the other's traits. Like sweet and salt, each good on their own, but better together.


	16. Through This Life and Into the Next

Today was the day. His ward was getting married. It had been a long time coming. The two had been in love for years, but only recently admitted their feelings. He had been worried that Arthur or the knights would disapprove of their relationship, but all had accepted it and even encouraged it.

Merlin hadn't lept in her old room last night because all her belongings had been moved to her new home in the lower town. Neither the bride nor groom had been in the house in weeks, having been barred from entering by friends and family who had been repairing and altering it. Both had been sleeping in his chambers during that time, Merlin in her room with her mother and George on the patient cot in the main room, up until last night.

Gwen, Hunith, and Merlin had stayed with Jeanne and Ruth. Hunith said it was so they could get her ready for the ceremony without interruption, as though Ruth wouldn't to that just as much as his daily rounds would. He suspended they had done it so they could prepare her for her wedding night, giving her suggestions and advice.

George and the knights had spent the night in Elyan's home and smithe. Given that the king had come to collect hangover remedies for five people, it was clear alcohol had been involved in the evening's activities. Hopefully they hadn't done or said anything to dissuade the groom from going through with the wedding.

One way or another, he would find out when he reached the training grounds. That was where the ceremony was being held, seeing as no one would question a servant and maid using the area, unlike using one of the halls, and wouldn't been far from the castle if the king was urgently needed. Afterwards, they would have a picnic lunch before the pair were spirited away to see their new home where they would complete their joining.

When he arrived, the only ones missing were Gwaine, Hunith, George, and Merlin. Knowing they would be arriving at any moment, he decided to stand Gwen and Elyan. There were roughly 30 people in attendance and Arthur looked less than thrilled to be in the middle of them. That was when they heard someone behind them clear their throat. Turning around, the lot of them saw Gwaine, hair neatly pulled back into a tidy braid, in his cloak and chainmail, beside the nervous looking groom.

George, the poor fellow, did not look comfortable at all in his new, dark brown jacket and trousers. His boots shone in the later morning light, likely polished within an inch of their lives by worried hands. His dusty purple shirt looked like it had been a grey one at one point before being washed in wine or grape juice. It wasn't a bad looking color, just somewhat out of place for a wedding.

The unsure expression on the groom's face morphed into loving awe and the old physician knew his ward had come into sight. Moving to face where George had been looking, he caught his first look at his ward. She was beautiful.

The girls must have spent most of the morning on Merlin's hair. It was all dark braids and ringlets in a half up manner. Her gown looked as though it had been tailored from one of Lady Morgana's old dresses with the metal ornamentation removed and embroidery added to it. The majority of the cloth was a rich indigo with a light blue sheer outer dress and accents which brought out her eyes, which were locked lovingly on her soon-to-be husband.

The love birds locked eyes and Merlin nearly tripped because she wasn't watching her feet. Hunith must have noticed because she guided the girl to the front of the group by her elbow. When the pair were within feet of each other, Arthur began.

"Welcome family and friends. We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the marriage of Merlin of Ealdor and George of Camelot. This is not the beginning of a new relationship but an acknowledgement of the next chapter of their lives together. These two have spent the few years getting to know each other, and we now join the to bear witness to what their relationship has become. Today, they will affirm this bond formally and publicly. This affirmation means more because it is shared with their most beloved friends and family members."

Gwaine stepped forward, between the love struck pair. This caused frowns to appear of both of their faces. The pouts they were both sporting nearly made the elderly man chortle.

"Who comes to give the bride?" The knight looked as though he was questioning an unknown rider at the city gates than participating in a wedding.

"Her mother escorts her, but only she gives her heart as a bride." Gaius blinked in confusion at the altered lines, but Gwaine took them in stride.

"Merlin, do you consent to this marriage to George of Camelot?" Smiling, she nodded.

Gwaine then took his sister's hand and lead her the last few feet. Once her and George were positioned in front of Arthur, the knight escorted Hunith to the front of those gathered and joined them. When they nodded they were in place the king spoke.

"Merlin and George, prior to this day each of you have walked a separate path. Now, your paths have joined as a shared path which you shall walk together. It is the strength of your love that shall bind you both together as a couple and, in the future, as a family. Merlin, when you're ready you may say your vows."

Merlin's eyes glistened as she stared into George's.

*"You are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone.

I give you my Body, that we Two might be One.

I give you my Spirit, 'til our Life shall be Done.

You cannot possess me for I belong to myself

But while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give

You cannot command me, for I am a free person

But I shall serve you in those ways you require

and the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand."

Nodding acceptance of those vows, Arthur turned to the groom. "George, when you're ready you may say your vows."

There were tears in the man's voice as he spoke.

*"I vow you the first cut of my meat, the first sip of my wine, from this day it shall only your name I cry out in the night and into your eyes that I smile each morning;

I shall be a shield for you back as you are for mine, no shall a grievous word be spoken about us, for our marriage is sacred between us and no stranger shall hear my grievance.

Above and beyond this, I will cherish and honor you through this life and into the next."

Arthur smiled at them before laying Merlin's right hand over George's left and binding them together with a braided ribbon of **gold, red, and white.

***"May God go with you and bless you,

May you see your children's children,

May you be poor in misfortune and rich in blessings,

May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.

May joy and peace surround you both,

Contentment latch your door,

And happiness be with you now And God Bless you Evermore.

May you live you life with trust, And nurture lifelong affection,

May your lifelong dreams come true for you, Move ever that direction.

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields.

May the light of friendship guide your paths together,

May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.

May the joy of living for each

other trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.

And when eternity beckons,

at the end of the life heaped high with love,

May the good Lord embrace you

with the arms that have nurtured you

the whole length of your joy-filled days.

May the gracious God hold you both

in the palm of His hands.

And, today, may the Spirit of Love

find a dwelling place in your hearts."

Arthur held up their united arms, "By the power given to me as King of Camelot, in sight of God and man, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife."

As the crowd cheered, Gaius clapped and wept hopeful tears. He tears lasted until he realized Arthur had no intention of untying the cord binding the couple's' hands together. And that was only because his laughter banished them as the meal preparation began.

The whole yard was filled with blankets in the blink of an eye. Food of all sorts was spread out as Merlin and George attempted to gracefully sit down with only a single had apiece. Once they finally succeeded, the eating began.

To Gaius, the picnic seemed to fly by and it was suddenly time to escort to newlyweds to their new home. He and Hunith were to take the two of them there, remove their bonds, and make sure they formed a new one by consummating their marriage. Others had offered to complete these tasks, but he and his little sister turned them down.

If Merlin lost control of her power during the act, it was better they be there for it than someone who didn't know about her magic. The girl needed all the support she could get now that her Plan B had become her new focus in life. George was no longer a way of making Arthur, he was her other half, her husband, for now and always.

_"I will cherish and honor you through this life and into the next."_

o=(======= .'˳*˳'. =======)=o

*traditional Celtic wedding vows

**gold (the heavenly father), red (the sacrificed son), and white (the holy spirit)

***traditional Irish wedding blessing


End file.
